Story by Barb Boyer Buck

Seven Ukrainian refugees are now without transportation since Iryna Irkliienko‘s 2003 Cadillac Escalade was stolen from the parking lot at the Park Ridge Apartments in the early morning of November 17.

An Estes Park Police Department press release issued today reported this incident was part of a bigger spree: 10 separate vehicles that were unlocked were unlawfully entered and burgled and another vehicle, a blue pick-up truck, was stolen.

“These crimes occurred in different locations in Estes Park,” stated the release.

Irkliienko’s car was being used by her father who came to Estes Park as a refugee from Ukraine in 2022.

She has lived in town for 17 years and sponsors a total of seven Ukrainian refugees who live in Estes Park, all dependent on her Escalade for rides throughout town and into the valley. Her father is the only driver among them.

“It’s hard to get around Estes Park without wheels,” she said.

A neighboring building’s security camera captured video of the Escalade along with several other vehicles leaving the parking lot at 1250 Acadia Dr. 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

While inspecting the scene, Air Pods that were burgled from a car in another part of town were discovered by police, Irkliienko said.

“No one heard the alarm on the Escalade,” Irkliienko said, who added that it worked because it went off about a month ago when she got into the car when the doors were locked. She also said that her father always locked the door of the vehicle, but that the driver’s side door malfunctioned sometimes and may have left the Escalade vulnerable.

“My dad called me in the morning to ask if I had picked up the car,” Irkliienko said, which is when she first realized there was a problem. There were no valuables in the car when it was stolen.

The other vehicles affected by the spree were entered easily, and “personal items including wallets, credit cards, and tools were stolen from the vehicles,” reported the EPPD.

No arrests have been made in connection with these incidents. Anyone who has information that can help this active investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Kirk Jellesma at 970-577-3884 or Kjellesma@estes.org.