Vehicle of hope stolen: West Sacramento couple gets food to those in need despite thieves targeting delivery truck
WEST SACRAMENTO -- Thieves in West Sacramento robbed a local volunteer of the tool he uses every single day to help those in need: his delivery truck.
For the past three years, starting during the pandemic, Johnny and Sonja Craighton have used their 2006 Chevy Silverado to deliver food daily to seniors and the unhoused across West Sacramento.
Their own home serves as a makeshift food pantry where donations of all kinds of necessities are temporarily stored, even piled all the way to the ceiling.
"Whoever needs help, we help them," said Sonja.
She and Johnny have volunteered with the nonprofit St. Vincent De Paul in Sacramento for 15 years. The vehicle that has come to be a symbol of hope and goodwill for many neighbors, unfortunately, became a target.
On Saturday, August 12, the Craightons say the truck was stolen right out of their driveway overnight.
"I get up to go make pickups and I say, 'Oh, where's my truck?' It's gone," said Johnny.
Whoever is responsible was cunning enough to manipulate the perfectly-functioning home surveillance camera pointed right at the driveway, leaving no video evidence of the crime behind.
West Sacramento police confirmed to CBS13 that it's likely the Chevy Silverado was targeted. Since July 1, at least 16 similar 2000s-model trucks have been stolen across the city, police say.
"I've lived here 70 years and never had anything stolen," said Johnny.
He added that a neighbor also had a similar model truck stolen just three days before his was taken. But Johnny was not going to let any of it slow him down. In fact, he has not missed a single of his daily deliveries since.
He borrowed a truck from a friend and set out on his routes as if nothing happened. The people he brings food to like the seniors at Valhalla Mobile Home Park do not know what to do without him and the food.
"It helps people feel much more at ease. They can run their air conditioning, a lot of people weren't," said Pam Carr, a resident of the senior community.
She and Anita Burns allow Johnny to use their driveway as the site where neighbors of Valhalla can come pick up food donations.
"They're just really wonderful people. They're doing wonderful things for us and people across West Sacramento, too," said Pam.
When Pam and Anita heard Johnny's truck was stolen, they were speechless. They knew he wouldn't ask for help himself, so they started an online fundraiser to get him a new one.
"He just wants to do for people all the time. How can you not want to help someone like that?" asked Pam. "He doesn't expect anything new and pretty and sparkly. It's just to do the job, to get him from here to there."
So far, $1,400 has been raised with a $4,000 goal to buy Johnny another pickup.
"It's very humbling to have people that we help be on the other end of it," said Sonja.
"We're a family, and that's what you've got to count on — people helping people," said Johnny.
Johnny and Sonja have been honored in the past by the city of West Sacramento for their service in helping others, including delivering food for Project Roomkey, a program giving the unhoused shelter at hotels.
The Yolo County Food Bank provides much of the food to St. Vincent De Paul's ministry outreach, where Johnny and Sonja volunteer.
"We are saddened to hear that someone would jeopardize these critical resources in our community. St. Vincent De Paul is one of our most beloved partners in West Sacramento," a spokesperson for the food bank told CBS13.
They added that if anyone is in need of help with food, head to the food bank's website or call 530-668-0690.
St. Vincent De Paul also helps those in need with rent, bill payments and finding housing. Visit their website to learn more.
