KANSAS CITY, MO — A Colorado woman visiting Kansas City, Missouri, had her truck stolen from a hotel parking lot.
Lorrie Underwood, the owner, says that truck contained sacred Native American regalia and other items important to her family — especially her 17-year-old son, Lance.
“In a minute and 44 seconds, they had entered my vehicle and started it," Underwood said. "And all three vehicles drive off down this street."
On Saturday morning around 9 am., Underwood came outside to nothing but an empty parking space.
Underwood shared the surveillance video with KSHB 41 News.
She says the thieves rode off with her white Ford F-250 from The Hampton Inn on North Corrington Avenue at around 2 a.m. on Saturday.
“At 2:13 a.m., two cars pulled in here. Previous to that, two cars pulled through the parking lot," Underwood said. "It’s obvious that they went around the block, they pulled back here, and parked right in front of my car."
Thieves not only took off with her vehicle, but items inside that belonged to her son.
“We are here in Kansas City for an SCA event, and SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism, where he has just gotten into medieval fighting,” Underwood said. ”He has a full heavy combat. A getup of a helmet, chain mill — all of the protective gear. [A] sword, shield and leg protectant."
Underwood, who is from Colorado, is also a citizen of Potowatomie Nation.
She and her son were also on their way on her way to Shawnee, Oklahoma, for a Potowatomie gathering.
“Everything has a lot of thought that goes into it. Lance had a roach that was custom made,” Underwood said. “He's a fancy dancer and a hoop dancer, so his feather dancer and his roach, like everything, is custom beeding.”
Underwood talked about more of the items that were stolen.
“He had goat skins, and those were gifted to him by a friend," Underwood said. “He had a six-inch wide beaded belt that went around (him), and it took him my daughter, my other son, we worked two years on that belt.”
Underwood said they also had two bank boxed of gifts, candles and beaded items.
Underwood said there are memories soaked into these sacred items, and small details like the color mean a lot to her son, but also the Potowatomie people.
“Everything is sacred and special to Indian people, Native American people," Underwood said. "It’s just heartbreaking the massive amount of things that are gone."
Underwood now hopes those sacred items make a safe return.
“For the people who took our possessions, I want you to choose a different path," Underwood said. "I want you to possibly return the stuff to help absolve yourself of that sin."
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