After the work truck she uses to treat sick horses was stolen on Christmas Eve, a family found it in Escondido days later parked outside an apartment complex.
FALLBROOK, Calif. — On Christmas Day, Fallbrook equine veterinarian Joleen Elston pleaded for help in finding her stolen medical truck.
She says thieves broke into her garage on Christmas Eve, as it was raining, and made off with her 2016 Dodge Diesel 2500 filled with her medical tools she uses to treat horses.
She put the call for help on Facebook, and the day after Christmas, someone saw her truck parked at an Escondido apartment complex.
“It was dumped pretty quick, and it kind of sat there for a couple days, but we did get it back Sunday night, and towed it home and got some new keys made,” said Elston.
Her work truck is back home and looks as good as new.
“It is great to have my truck back in one piece, I am happy, but I’ll never forget that image of my garage being empty, it was sickening,” said Elston.
But inside the truck, all Joleen’s medical supplies were stolen.
“The diagnostic tools, the ophthalmology kit, my x-ray ultrasound, all my dentistry equipment and a lot of little handheld blood readers – things like that,” Elston said.
She’s grateful her medications and vet pack were found, but she’s out of $150,000 worth of equipment, so two clients started a GoFundMe that’s already raised nearly $40,000.
“I am just so amazed by the outpouring of support, it’s just, it is breathtaking to see that many people being that generous during this time a lot of people are out of work and it’s the holidays,” said Elston.
As for the thieves who stole Elston’s truck, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department made two arrests.
“It sounded like they were transient people that used to live in our area, and they had done a lot of really brazen crimes, I believe there were four vehicles stolen the night my truck was taken, and more homes burglarized,” Elston said.
Despite living on a gated property, Elston and her husband will now add security cameras two months before they expect their first child. She says she learned one of the burglars had a gun.
“I’m just glad that I did not see them because I was out in the garage working, and I’m just happy to be healthy and well and safe,” said Elston.
Elston plans to give the reward money she offered to the family who found it in Escondido on Fig Street. She says veterinarians from across the state and in Colorado, Kentucky and Ohio have donated money and medical supplies to her.
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