After leaving the store with the gifts, Edwards realized she forgot to buy wrapping paper, so she stopped at another store on the way home. Parking along the side of the building in a crowded parking lot, Edwards left her keys in the truck for a few minutes to make her purchase. When she came back outside with her daughter and the wrapping paper, her vehicle was gone.
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“Didn’t think it was a big deal; small-town Amherst. I was right there and coming right back,” Edwards said. “I immediately called 911. He (Martin) was the officer that responded. We went over everything that happened, and I was just stressed. I was not hysterical, but I was definitely shedding some tears about all of her (Alyza’s) stuff being taken.”