Community support after theft lifts Ukrainian refugee

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This article was published 23/10/2022 (1131 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Ukrainian woman new to Winnipeg says having her wallet stolen and then returned in the span of a week has changed her opinion on the city for the better.

Maryna Shakhoval arrived as a refugee from the Russian invasion through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel plan Sept. 22. On Oct. 9, after shopping with her husband, Saboor H’Khurshid, they realized her wallet had fallen out of her pocket when they ran to catch a bus.

It was especially alarming for Shakhoval because the wallet contained cards from their life in Kyiv that could not be replaced without returning to Ukraine.

“I was more worried about the cards, because it was my Ukrainian drivers licence, my ID card, my husband’s ID cards, his driver’s licence, everything,” she said Thursday.

The pair, who are living in a downtown hotel until they are able to find more stable housing, began investigating.

“We see from our bank account, (money) starts to disappear,” Shakhoval said. “Someone used our cards — from one Canadian card and one Ukrainian card.”

She posted for help on Facebook community groups, including a copy of her Ukraine ID card and a map of where she lost the wallet.

“People started to give comments with advice and help, like maybe you can go to police,” she said.

Shakhoval began traveling to stores where the card was being used, asking shop owners for help. She received a call from a toy store, which gave her a security camera photo of a woman and man who had used her card.

She shared an update on Facebook with the security photos, and a message to the thieves: she understood people make mistakes, she forgives them, but was hoping for “one act of kindness.”

“I just said, ‘OK, we have a photo. Maybe I can upload it on Facebook. Maybe when people see that car they can help.’ I (posted) my driver licence, a photo of the woman and the car,” she said.

“The same day, or the next day, I got a lot of comments, shares, help from people. I was helped so much, got so much support from people.”

Among the supportive comments and people reaching out, Shakhoval got a message from someone who believed his daughter was the person in the photo. He told Shakhoval his daughter was suffering with addiction issues, and he would try and help retrieve the wallet.

The next day, Oct. 16, Shakhoval received a call from the Winnipeg Police Service, who had her wallet to retrieve. All of her cards were still there.

The week-long ordeal has taught Shakhoval about her new home — not because of the crime but by how willing Winnipeggers were to step up and help.

“People here are very friendly and supportive. I didn’t expect anything like this,” she said. “So many comments… After hearing I got my wallet back, people still say, ‘I’m so happy for you.’”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca