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Grinches steal car with gifts for 10 year-old near Whiskey Creek

Single mom admits she did not lock the vehicle — Whiskey Creek has about 260 residents

A 30-year-old single mother's vehicle was stolen Christmas morning in Whiskey Creek.

It was full of presents, many for her 10-year-old son.

"It definitely ruined Christmas," Shanna Acton told The NEWS on Tuesday morning.

Acton said she returned home from a Christmas Eve get-together around 1:30 a.m. the next morning, Dec. 25. She admits she left her 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier door unlocked, but didn't think somebody would steal it.

"It was a big heart breaker," she said, noting hundreds of dollars worth of gifts were taken with the vehicle.

"It (my car) was nothing spectacular but I'm a single mom and my car was jacked on Christmas morning," she said. "I mean, it was Christmas morning, who does that?"

Acton works at the Whiskey Creek Co-Op, where her car was parked.

She said she's able to walk to work and back, but still needs a vehicle to get groceries and drive her son to sports practice.

"I totally thought I knew my neighbours," she said.

According to Regional District of Nanaimo officials, Whiskey Creek has a population of approximately 260 residents.

Oceanside RCMP confirmed a vehicle was stolen from the back lot of the Whiskey Creek Co-op store in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Cpl. Jesse Foreman said there was no glass left at the scene, implying the culprit didn't break into the vehicle to steal it.

Acton assumes whoever stole the car put it into neutral and pushed it out of the lot as it is a standard vehicle.

Foreman said police discovered a nearby vehicle whose windows were smashed in and the vehicle was rummaged through.

A forensics team has been examining that vehicle to see if there is any connection. Police are waiting for results.

As for Acton, she just wants her car back.

She describes it as a black, two-door, five-speed standard 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier.

If you have any information please contact Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111.