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Family says car with special sentimental value stolen from hospital valet

Spending a holiday in a hospital is tough on a family. Spending it there, and also getting your car stolen, is even tougher.

AURORA, Colo. — A family is looking for their car after they say it was stolen from the valet at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Monday. 

Antonio Oteo said he dropped off a loved one who is expected to be at the hospital for an extended period of time, gave the parking attendant his key, and he got a ticket in return.

"My relative has luggage and everything so we decided to use the valet instead of parking," Oteo said. "And we walk into the entrance and we never look back. He drives off and that's the last that we saw of our car." 

When Oteo came to pick it up about an hour later, he said the attendants told him they set the car to the side while it was still running with the keys in the ignition, and someone else jumped in and took off.

Credit: Antonio Oteo

"The sentimental value is priceless which is why the stress level got to here with this," Oteo said, raising his hand above his head.

He said the license plates on the car were created in memory of his daughter who passed away in February at the same hospital.

"Her name was Nyla," Oteo said. "She was beautiful. She fought hard for about 5 months in the NICU. And it was hard to do."

Credit: Antonio Oteo

University of Colorado Police said another car was stolen just before Christmas from the same location. They have since recovered it, and Aurora Police arrested a suspect. 

"That's when I became frustrated because that's the process and it turns out that's the second time this has happened," Oteo said.

UCHealth spokesperson Jessica Berry said in an email they are working with the valet company to "change their procedures and improve the security of cars parked at the hospital." 

Berry added that the valet company is an outside contractor and that they park 35,000 cars a month. She said the two stolen this week were the only reports this year.

"Bring it back," said Oteo, pleading to whoever stole it. "Put it wherever you need to put it but let us have our car back." 

Oteo said the valet company is paying for a rental car for the time being.

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