WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Police in Westminster are investigating after a family, who were forced to flee from the Marshall Fire Thursday, had their vehicle stolen from a hotel in the city.
The 2002 Red GMC Denali and the family’s belongings were stolen from the parking lot at the Hampden Inn, 5030 W. 88th Pl., in Westminster sometime Tuesday morning.
Police said the Fazio family had little time to evacuate as hurricane-force winds whipped flames and smoke closer to their home. They grabbed whatever few possessions they could and safely escaped the fire.
"[My wife] ran around the house like a champ, and I packed everything into a couple of bags and got everything else ready," said Ryan Fazio. "And just within 20 minutes we got us, the kids, and the animals and got out of there."
While they were able to escape the fire, their home was not spared. Flames destroyed the family's Superior home within minutes.
"Everything that we have been building and collecting, we’ve been doing this for our family the last couple of years, and we had a nice house," said Fazio. "And now when you go back to it it is literally just a pile of ash."
The family’s main concern is two bins with yellow tops that contain irreplaceable family photos.
"We wouldn’t even care if they kept the car as long as they just drop the photos off somewhere, because that is literally her (Ryan's mother's) entire life," said Nicole Fazio, his wife."We had all the photos and could only fit two boxes and now they are gone."
Westminster police are asking for the public’s help in locating the 2002 Red GMC Denali with Colorado – Columbine Respect Life license plates BFCL99. Also on the lower-left bumper is a sticker that states, “Proud Parent of a U.S. Army Soldier.”
A GoFundMe was set up to help the family.
