Dying Christchurch mother ‘devastated’ by the theft of her truck used for her daughter’s jump

A terminally ill Christchurch woman says she is devastated by the theft of her truck, which used to drive her daughter and horse to show jumping events.

Emily Chaplin, a mother of three, says her Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and a Polaris 4×4 farm vehicle were taken from her home on Russley Rd between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Monday, January 4.

His youngest daughter, Phoebe, 12, “lives for the horses,” but without the Toyota they can’t tow her float to horse shows or collect hay, he says.

The 44-year-old woman was diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer in 2016 and receives hospital treatment every three weeks. They haven’t told him how long to live.

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Chaplin has also faced a number of other unfortunate events in the past two years, including having to be rehoused on short notice.

“I am devastated,” she said.

“Losing the Prado is another significant loss for me and my daughter. In the last 18 months I have lost my business, members of my family and our home ”.

Phoebe hopes to become an equine veterinarian and the family has seven miniature horses, two foals and three adult horses.

The theft of the Polaris means they can’t adequately service their grazing site in Yaldhurst, Chaplin said.

“The Polaris was the only way we could feed the horses and rake the meadows.

“We already have financial problems and we cannot afford to replace the truck, which was our only vehicle to tow a float to go to horse shows, which is Phoebe’s greatest passion and something I want to be able to enjoy with her.”

“It seems that when a problem is solved, another comes to take its place.”

Neither vehicle was insured, he said.

A police spokesman confirmed that they have received a report of the stolen vehicles.