St. Joseph woman’s car set on fire in vandalism incident
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)-- A St. Joseph resident is dealing with the aftermath of an act of car vandalism.
Amy Michelle says her mother, Carla, purchased the car for her in March. After previously needing ignition repairs, the vehicle had just returned from the shop shortly before the incident occurred.
On Monday, July 14, the family found the back window shattered with a large rock and discovered that the car was set on fire.
The vehicle was totaled, but fortunately, no one was inside at the time.
“Someone had already called the fire department and the police came too. They ruled it as vandalism,” Amy Michelle said.
This isn’t the first time the family has experienced crime. In the past, they shared that they have had license plates stolen and car windows smashed. They said crimes like these are all too common in their neighborhood.
“Sometimes when I leave for work in the morning, I have to check my surroundings -- make sure no one’s lurking nearby or sitting behind my car,” Carla Timmons said.
Since the incident, Carla has relied on family and ride-share services, like Uber, to get to and from work. The loss has not only disrupted her routine but also shaken her sense of security.
“Whenever I see someone walking down the street, I wonder, 'are they going to carjack me?' It’s scary living here,” Carla said.
Sheriff Bill Puett, of the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office, stressed the importance of basic precautions when it comes to car safety.
“They move from one target to the next. When they find a car that’s unlocked, they may go through it and steal whatever’s inside," Puett said. "That’s why it’s crucial to always lock your vehicle and keep valuables out of sight.”
Carla’s daughter is still coming to terms with the emotional toll of what happened.
“My mom called me at 1:30 in the morning, crying. I didn’t know what was going on, and then she says, 'our car is on fire,'” Amy Michelle said.
Carla and her family are trying to stay strong as they work to rebuild -- one step at a time.
News-Press NOW reached out to the St. Joseph Police Department for a comment on this incident, but they were not available for comment at this time.
