New Orleans woman speaks on her car being stolen, used in other crimes
By Eli Brand
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NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — Maggie Hales says her white Kia Soul was stolen from off of the street in front of her Lakeview home on July 10 on the day she was set to say goodbye to her father.
“It was the morning I was ready to fly back home to the East Coast to spread my father’s ashes. He died last year. I walked out, and there was no car,” Hales said.
She says she had some help from internet groups to locate the car but wasn’t happy about where she saw it next. Hales says she saw it in surveillance video in Lakeview being used by men with long guns breaking into cars.
“I certainly feel sorry for anyone who had their property violated. It’s an icky feeling, it’s not great, but for me, my car is my source of income,” Hales said.
Hales said seeing her car used in a crime is tough. It’s something she didn’t want to see but was always worried could happen in New Orleans.
“It didn’t feel real and to feel violated in the first place, knowing that I spend all my time there and someone who I’ve likely never met is just riding around in my property,” Hales said.
Hales said she believes her car was later found burned beyond recognition.
Auto thefts are up 148% from this time last year, according to the New Orleans City Council crime dashboard.
She says she is working with an NOPD detective on the theft investigation.
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