The owner of a stolen wheelchair racer in Regina still has hope that she will soon be reunited with her custom-built piece of equipment.

Jessica Frotten, a Paralympics hopeful who has been training to try and qualify as a wheelchair racer for the postponed Tokyo Paralympic Games next year in Japan, had her racer in her apartment building’s garage on June 11. She was shocked when she went downstairs and saw it wasn’t there.

“The first thing that crossed my mind wasn’t ‘Oh my goodness, it was stolen?’ It was ‘Did I forget it somewhere?’” recounted Frotten. “I never thought in 100 years that someone would have taken it.”

She said a custom-made racer like hers can cost up to $10,000.

Frotten noted that she continues to train at her gym with weights and other exercises in the meantime. She admitted it’s not the same as being able to train in her racer, but she continues trucking along so she can make it to her first Paralympics.

“It’s invaluable to me,” she said. “The support I have been receiving is overwhelming and it’s coming from everywhere across Canada. A post on Facebook was even shared thousands and thousands of times.”

According to a statement from the Regina Police Service on Friday, June 12, an unknown person or persons entered the building’s parkade and stole the racing wheelchair. Frotten believes the crime was committed sometime between the night of June 10 and about 5:00 p.m. on June 11.

There is no sign of the wheelchair yet, however Regina police have received small leads on its whereabouts.

She thanked all the support she has received from the public since its disappearance, encouraging people to contact her on Facebook or by phone if they have any tips. A $1,000 reward is being offered by Frotten with “no questions asked”.