Suddenly carless in Aspen

Dear Editor: This past weekend, my only car was stolen from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies parking lot.I moved from Missouri to Aspen about six weeks ago to take an educator/naturalist position at ACES. I am fresh out of college and plan to be here through the school year and maybe even longer. I am very upset that someone would steal a 10-year-old Saturn wagon without any frills and nothing valuable inside it. It is also very surprising that a vehicle would get stolen in Aspen, a town that seems so quiet and safe. The Aspen police officer also seemed rather surprised by this. My insurance does not help me with this as I only had liability insurance; now I’m stuck without a car and not a lot of income to buy even a used vehicle.I am writing this letter so that more of you are aware that things do happen in Aspen. We must remember that even though life seems to be happy and good all the time here, theft can and does happen. I know that many people are not afraid to leave their cars unlocked, and some of you even leave the keys in your unlocked cars. My car was also unlocked.My insurance adjuster claims that approximately 75 percent of stolen vehicles are recovered. However, the condition of those recovered vehicles is not always so great. So while you are out and about, keep your eyes peeled for a red Saturn wagon with Missouri plates and call the police if you happen to find it. I’ll continue to ride the bus, walk and ride my bike during the work week, but my weekends will be much more limited until I gain some wheels again.Sarah JohnsonAspen