HOUSTON – A group of young athletes from Illinois traveled to Houston to compete in the AAU Junior Olympics, bringing home two national championships and several medals — only to have their coach’s truck and more than $50,000 worth of equipment stolen before they could return home.
Major truck theft in Humble
The theft occurred over the weekend outside a hotel on the 4800 block of Canyon Lakes Trace, just off Beltway 8 in Humble. Surveillance footage shows two men jumping a fence, disabling the alarm, and stealing a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado High Country belonging to the wife of coach Mike Cockerham, founder of the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club.
“They broke into the computer of the truck, figured out the key fob code, unlocked it, started it, and were gone — all in three minutes,” Cockerham said to FOX 26.
In the back of the truck were pole-vaulting poles valued at approximately $46,000, not including the specialized carrying bags, Cockerham said.
While the athletes celebrated their victories, including two national titles, the theft cast a shadow over the trip.
“It’s going to be really difficult,” Cockerham said. “We worked hard to get that equipment.”
The Chevrolet Silverado is among the most frequently stolen vehicles in the U.S., ranked fourth on the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s list of most stolen vehicles in 2023.
The search continues
Authorities with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the theft. Anyone with information is urged to contact HCSO.
The Source: FOX 26 spoke with the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club Founder, and gathered information from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Crime and Public SafetyNewsHouston