CHANDLER, Ariz — A Valley woman is thankful Saturday after her father's jacket was returned after disappearing during a recent garage sale in Chandler.
The jacket is back after the weekend garage sale at her sister's home. Brenda Van Den Berg said it was a Vietnam Army jacket that belonged to her late father, Ted Baas.
After the jacket went missing, Van Den Berg said the family offered a $200 reward for the return of the jacket. She said the person in possession of the jacket contacted her to return the heirloom and collect the reward.
She believes it was an honest mistake and simply wanted it back. Ring camera footage shows items lining the driveway at the garage sale in Chandler. The footage also shows a couple sifting through some clothing items.
"The stuff that they had left hanging on the rack that you see lining the tent was going to be free," Van Den Berg said.
Several pieces of garb were up for grabs at the tail-end of the sale, but Van Den Berg said the jacket wasn’t one of them.
"I believe there was a misunderstanding and the coat I'm looking for was laying on a chair 5 feet away. This is really a piece of our family history that is over 55 years old and it's about what we have left from our dad."
The patched up piece, belonged to her dad, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War. It's a a prized possession, she's begging to get it back and staying hopeful that it was just an honest mistake.
"I always wear this jacket. I'm just pleading with anyone who has seen this couple or the black car that they drive to please return this jacket."
It's a memento that means both family and freedom to Van Den Berg, who's proud of her father's service and it would never be part of a yard sale free for all.
"I would be willing to meet anyone, anywhere in Arizona to get this jacket back."
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