Readers eager to help Australian couple after their minivan was stolen

A young Australian couple on a West Coast exploring trek will leave Seattle with a different set of memories after the overwhelming response to the theft of their minivan and possessions last week on Capitol Hill.

John Bowler, 22, and Lauren George, 21, of Adelaide, in South Australia, have been offered everything from cash to clothing to a surfboard to a free replacement minivan from readers who learned of their plight in Saturday's Seattle Times.

"We're so overwhelmed. It's just amazing, crazy," Bowler said.

Seattle police called the couple late Friday night to tell them the 1985 minivan — which they had purchased for $700 in Vancouver, B.C., and was stolen on Monday — had been found.

Bowler said it had been driven some 180 miles, there was no fuel, the stereo and rearview mirrors had been ripped out and their possessions were gone.

"A whole bunch of rubbish was left ... " Bowler said. "It looked like someone had been living there — very uneasy!"

But, he said, the Toyota seems to be running fine, and they will use it to continue their three-month trip from Vancouver, B.C., to Costa Rica.

The young couple had worked for a half-year at an Adelaide surf shop to save for the trip.

Readers said they responded for a variety of reasons. Moms could relate to Bowler's mother in Australia, who called The Times after she learned of her son's trouble in Seattle.

"My son went to Australia for five weeks right after high school. People there were especially friendly, taking him in when he missed a hotel reservation, things like that," said Celia Andrews, of Walla Walla.

Paul Lopiccolo, 49, of Renton, offered his old surfboard.

"I'm from Southern California. I'm married, with three kids all grown up. I wanted to do that my whole life," he said about just taking off and traveling.

The couple can be reached at Bowler's e-mail: trensettus@hotmail.com.

Erik Lacitis: 206-464-2237 or elacitis@seattletimes.com