Brazen thieves stole a trailer belonging to noted Albuquerque balloon pilot Troy Bradley. The trailer with his family’s hot air balloon inside was stolen from the driveway of Bradley’s home in northwest Albuquerque.
“It’s unfortunate because this is not an uncommon occurrence,” Bradley told KRQE. “We were the short end of the stick in this one. I didn’t think it would happen.”
Bradley said he doesn’t believe the thieves knew what they were stealing. Thefts of trailers and U-Haul have become a common occurrence in Albuquerque. “I’m not certain that they were targeting a balloon,” Bradley said, “more as the trailer that they were looking for. So, I am hoping that they see the cargo that was on board is of no value to them and that they drop it off somewhere that we can get it recovered.”
The balloon that was inside the trailer holds enormous sentimental value for the family, including unforgettable moments for Bradley with his son and daughter. ”She’s devastated by it,” Bradley said of his daughter. “This is a balloon that she did a lot of her flight training in. My son did flight training in this balloon. She’s done some long flights in it. She was the youngest pilot at fiesta when she was 16 flying this balloon.”
It’s easy to see ballooning has always been a huge part of the family's enjoyment. Bradley owns 64 ballooning world records as the Chief Rainbow Ryders pilot. “Ballooning is not only my career, it’s my passion, my life,” Bradley said. “Everything that I do is with balloons.”
In response to the theft, Bradley says he will be tightening up security at his home including a more dependable doorbell camera to keep this from happening again.
Bradley said he doesn’t mind if the thieves keep the trailer. He remains hopeful the balloon will return undamaged.