Thief Steals From Woman Paying Respects To Fallen Deputy Brian Ishmael
EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) — A brazen thief targeted people parked near Highway 50 to honor fallen Deputy Brian Ishmael as his funeral procession passed through Tuesday.
Dorene Hague was parked near the highway just in time to catch the procession. It was an emotional moment, ruined by someone trying to cash in on the situation.
"It was disheartening to think somebody could do something like that on such a solemn occasion," Hague said.
Hague just wanted to say goodbye to Deputy Ishmael as his funeral procession passed near Cameron Park. With her granddaughters by her side, they paid their respects.
LOW BLOW: An El Dorado County woman who stopped to watch the funeral procession for fallen Deputy Brian Ishmael today had her car broken into and purse stolen as she was watching this emotional moment. Awful. It appears this may have happened to others as well @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/YtWogFrzo9
— Anna Twomey (@TwomeyMedia) November 6, 2019
Hague said she and at least a hundred other people were parked along Highway 50. When no one was looking, someone busted her window and snatched her purse, which she doesn't normally leave in her car.
"Today I wasn't thinking about my purse. I was thinking of the fallen officer and the family and the impact to our community," she said.
Her credit cards, car keys and social security card, all gone. But for Hague, the worst part is losing her sense of security.
"It's still unsettling to think somebody has our address, key to our house, key to our other car," she said.
Hague said she can't believe someone would do this just feet away from ribbons displayed in honor of a fallen deputy, that someone would take advantage of a community in mourning. She doesn't expect to get her purse back, she just hopes whoever did this gets help.
"You don't know how you disrupt a person's life by the act that you did," she said.
Its unclear how many people were targeted. Another witness reported seeing a college student's car was also broken into. CBS13 reached out to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office but has not heard back.