Was To Have Flown As A Memorial To Honor Rick Wallace

A thief broke into a Chevy Suburban parked at the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque, NM Saturday night and stole the vehicle and trailer that was attached to it.

While that would not normally be a story we would report, this past weekend was start of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, and the trailer contained the balloon "Rainbow Thru Heaven" that, along with pilot Rick Wallace, had become a fixture at the event, and other balloon gatherings. Rick had flown at every Balloon Fiesta since it began in 1981.

Ten weeks ago, Rick passed away following a battle with cancer, and his daughter Marilyn had planned to fly the balloon each day of the event to honor her father. She had hoped to fly the balloon with checkered rainbow pattern and an American flag during Sunday's mass ascension.

Instead, she and her mother flew back to Santa Monica, CA to get Marilyn's balloon, and drive back to Albuquerque to salvage what they can out of the festival. 

Marilyn told the Albuquerque Journal that if the thieves want to keep the SUV, which has a California license plate "baluner", they can have it, but she wants her father's balloon back. The vehicle is reported to be a 1994 tan Suburban. The trailer matches the vehicle and has a spare tire on the back.  Rainbow Thru Heaven is a Thunder Colt AX8-B, 90.000 Cubic Feet, with registration #N710TC. It is cloud blue the distinctive rainbow markings and flag.

Marilyn says she hopes the thieves realize what they have and leave the trailer by the side of the road. Balloon Fiesta spokesman Tom Gerrity said that it can be difficult for thieves to pawn or otherwise sell stolen balloon equipment. He said that the ballooning community is "pretty tight," and other balloonists would be on the lookout for the stolen gear.

(Rainbow Thru Heaven pictured in Albuquerque Police Department photo)

FMI: www.cabq.gov/police