Camping van stolen from Bay Area nonprofit

OAKLAND, Calif. - OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A Bay Area non-profit that serves the developmentally disabled had its bus stolen over the weekend, a major blow.

"It's very disappointing that anybody would take a bus from a group that's obviously recreational," Judy Simmons, of Camping Unlimited, told KTVU.

For almost fifty years, the program has taken disabled children and adults on camping trips, an experience they might not otherwise have access to.       

Their destination is Camp Krem in Boulder Creek, but the 20 seat passenger van was stolen in Oakland, from a private lot on Vernon Street near Lake Merritt.

"It could have been taken Friday night, or it could have been taken early Saturday morning, " explained Simmons, "these parking spaces are rented to various organizations."

Saturday morning, the van was missing when the camp driver showed up to take a load of passengers to the mountains. 

"Well he was astonished," admitted Simmons, who was able to rule out the possibility of towing, and made a report to Oakland Police.

Her organization has been leaving the bus in the lot between trips for three years, without any problems.

It's a 2006 Ford El Dorado, white with a green stripe and the "Camping Unlimited" logo painted on the side.

And while it's not the only vehicle in the non-profit's fleet, it's one of their biggest.

"Oh it would cripple us, " admitted Simmons, if the bus is not recovered, "I don't know how much hard work we'll have to do to get another bus, but I know we don't have funds to replace it this year."

Acquiring and maintaining vehicles is a major expense for the program, but essential, since Camp Krem not only transports the developmentally disabled to nature, it welcomes their family members too.

"For clients, it becomes the core of their social lives, and they look forward to it," described Simmons, " big campfire get-togethers, karaoke, and the hiking, it means a lot to them, and it means a lot to their families too."

The CA license plate on the bus is 5WGK122.

Saturday morning's overnight trip eventually departed, but late, as campers had to wait about two hours for another bus to come from Santa Cruz County to pick them up.