Patient's Van Stolen Outside Tulsa Emergency Room

Having your car stolen is probably one of the last things you would think could happen on Christmas Eve while you're visiting someone at a hospital.

“At first I thought it might have been towed or something, I wouldn't think that somebody would actually steal it, you know. It's unbelievable," theft victim, Brian Buckhorn said.

Buckhorn said he visited his wife at Hillcrest Medical Center over the Christmas holiday. He said he parked the family van in the parking lot near the emergency room and when he went outside Christmas Eve to run an errand, the van was gone.

Tony: "Just to know that your wife is in the hospital getting treatment, all ready to spend Christmas with you and the family and know that your car is taken, does that hit home?"

Buckhorn: "It's just a shock. It's just a shock to know that somebody would be so heartless."

When Buckhorn's wife was released, after four days in the hospital, a family friend had to drive up from Muskogee to pick them up and bring them home.

Now the family is relying on friends to get to and from work.

“It's our only way back and forth to work for both of us," he said.

Tulsa Police told Buckhorn there's surveillance video showing a person breaking into the van and driving off, but officers haven't found either the vehicle – a 1995 GMC Safari with a dent on the driver's side - or the thief.

Tony: "Brian, is it fair to say the last place that you'd think that your van would get stolen is in a hospital parking lot?

Buckhorn: "Yeah, definitely. It didn't even occur to me that somebody would just take someone's while somebody is in the hospital."

A spokesperson for the hospital said the safety of its patients, visitors and staff is very important.

"We place great importance on the safety of our patients, visitors and staff. Our security cameras captured the incident on film and we are cooperating with TPD on their investigation."

Tulsa Police said when you're in a parking lot like this the safest place to park is in a well-lit area near the building entrances.

The Buckhorns said they'll be trying to find a new car to drive in a couple of weeks, now they're borrowing a car from a family member.