A Northern California woman with a rare bone disease is hoping police will be able to recover two wheelchair-equipped vehicles that were stolen from the front of her home.

Nettie Wijsman says her 1999 gold Dodge Caravan and 2000 black Honda CRV -- both equipped with $28,500 worth of modifications -- were stolen from outside of her Menlo Park home last week.

The 55-year-old Wijsman told the Palo Alto Daily News that since since 2007 she has been confined to a wheelchair because of a rare condition called cystic angiomatosis, a condition that has left her with a fragile skeletal system.

Wijsman says the thefts of the two vehicles are threatening to take away her independence because the modifications on the vehicles allow her to drive.

There was insurance coverage on the Honda, but the van was not covered.