East Bay family shocked to find van stolen after toddler's cancer treatment
Child cancer patient's family van stolen from Kaiser Oakland parking lot
Parents of an East Bay toddler receiving cancer treatment in Oakland were shocked to learn their van had been stolen after leaving a doctor's appointment this week.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Parents of an East Bay toddler receiving cancer treatment in Oakland were shocked to learn their van had been stolen after leaving a doctor's appointment this week.
Toddler had just finished chemo round
What we know:
Jia Kim, 3, is battling neuroblastoma. She and her family were at Kaiser Oakland on Monday when they discovered that their minivan was gone from a hospital parking structure across the street from the clinic where the young girl was receiving treatment.
"Jia recently finished a very intense round of chemotherapy for her cancer," her mother, Dena Kim, said.
Dena Kim and her husband, Hoya Kim, said they parked in the same structure as usual at 3510 Broadway.
"We were exhausted — emotionally, physically — hungry, tired, ready to go home," Dena said. "We went up to the parking garage, to the sixth floor where we parked, and we couldn’t find our minivan anywhere."
The couple searched the entire garage but couldn’t locate their 2019 Honda Odyssey minivan, which they purchased last year. It was gone.
They say Kaiser security staff also searched but found nothing.
"Finally, I just called police. The police officer came and took a report," Dena Kim said. "The security department here refused to check the footage or just confirm someone had taken it out of the garage."
The Kims said they ended up stranded for hours before they could get back to their home in Pinole.
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They shared their story to highlight the impact of vehicle theft on victims — especially those already dealing with medical crises.
Oakland police reported 10,439 vehicle thefts in the city in 2024. From Jan. 1 through May 7, 2024, about 3,755 vehicles were stolen. For the same period this year, that number has decreased to about 2,016.
Stolen van located
Dig deeper:
Early Wednesday, Dena Kim said an officer called to say the minivan had been found near Fourth and Folsom streets, close to Jack London Square. The license plate was missing.
"We're just really frustrated that Kaiser has not prioritized — or the city has not prioritized — making sure the people who are coming here, the people that are most vulnerable, are kept safe," she said.
Added her husband, "I just don't understand what kind of person comes to a hospital parking lot and steals a car with two car seats and disabled mark."
Kaiser sent the following statement, "We work hard to make sure our members and visitors are safe and that their belongings are secure on our medical campuses. It is disgusting that car thieves would target a place of healing, where families are getting care and are often at their most vulnerable. Our security teams are investigating this theft and are working with the Oakland Police Department. We extend our thoughts to the family and welcome the opportunity to connect with them further to offer support."
A family friend of the Kim family set up a GoFundMe to help Jia battle neuroblastoma.
Jana Katsuyama is a reporter for KTVU. Email Jana at jana.katsuyama@fox.com. Call her at 510-326-5529. Or follow her on Twitter @JanaKTVU and read her other reports on her bio page.
https://www.ktvu.com/person/k/jana-katsuyama