VALENCIA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – For Valentino Barron and his wife, their 28-foot camper is much more than just four wheels. It was their first big purchase together back in 2018. The Barrons are heartbroken after someone broke their gate, drove onto their property, and took off with their camper in less than 20 minutes.
It happened in broad daylight last week in Peralta while the couple was at work. “My heart just dropped,” he said. “It makes me feel violated, I mean, I don’t feel comfortable at home.”
“That’s our home away from home, that’s where we can go and spend a few nights and just forget about any struggles we have,” says Barron. “To her and I, it has a lot of sentimental value because of the purchase, the memories we shared in there.”
While they’re upset about the more than $20,000 loss, they’re even more hurt about losing what was inside, including the hunting gear they’ve been collecting for years and other things that can never be replaced. “The photos of my grandfather, the gifts that were given to my wife from my dad, gifts that were given to me from my dad,” Barron says.
Barron says they moved to Peralta four years ago for peace and quiet, never expecting this to happen. “I thought Peralta would be a nice area, I could live more at ease, and, nope.”
Bosque Farms police are investigating the theft and said this is an unusual crime in the area. In all of 2022, only four vehicles were reported stolen in the Peralta area to police. Anyone wit information regarding the campers’ whereabouts is asked to call the police.
