Video: Porch pirate suspect steals boy's chemotherapy medicine

A porch pirate was caught on camera stealing a 14-year-old boy’s chemotherapy medicine.

Gage Haynes has been fighting cancer since he was six months old. Recently, his mother had been paying out-of-pocket for a special type of drug, Ryedapt. It’s not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and it comes with risks. But Gage’s mother said she is willing to do anything to help her son.

“I have Systemic Mastocytosis,” Gage said. “It’s a rare form of cancer and it’s just been happening my whole life, so I’m used to it. Now, we’ve finally found a way to help it. My whole life there’s really been nothing.”

The drugs are usually shipped directly to their Las Vegas home, and they’ve never had a problem until last week. Home surveillance cameras captured video of a man stealing the life-saving drugs off the family’s front porch. The theft left the family upset and worried.

“I worked really hard to try and get him that,” explained Gage’s mother, Stacey Shavinsky. “I did financial assistance because it costs $40,000 a month because it’s not FDA-approved for anybody under the age of 18.”

Gage said it helps him feel better enough to go to school and get good grades. He takes at least eight of the pills every day. 

“So just please return it,” he said.

The family is asking anyone with information to come forward. Stacey said they are working with a pharmaceutical company to replace the missing drugs. 

“You’re not just taking a pair of paints or a shirt,” she said, “you’re taking something that’s keeping someone alive.”