Both family cars targeted by thieves, one stolen

My name is Scott Smogoleski, and I've recently run into a string of bad luck with mine and my wife's vehicles. Mine was broken into yesterday and the ignition was destroyed, making it undrivable. Today, I took my wife's car to work and parked it directly across the street from the police station. It was stolen in broad daylight and hasn't been found yet.

In 2020, I was lucky enough to buy the nicest vehicle I've ever owned, a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. I was thrilled because I finally had an all wheel drive car after years of old rust buckets. I live 50 miles from my job in Milwaukee (still working there because of the health insurance for my family), and I'm required to go to work anytime it snows to clear the sidewalks and parking lots. My wife and two girls were also happy knowing I would be a lot safer on my commute. I'm also on call 24/7 to deal with apartment emergencies, so it gave me great peace of mind knowing that I (probably) wouldn't break down on the freeway.

A year later, after a lot of hard work we were able to buy my wife a vehicle, a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. Not sharing a car was great because with 2 girls in school, my wife could drive them to/from school activities while I was gone from 7am to 6pm. We were struggling for money but happy knowing at least that we finally had 2 decent cars for our family, and could do gig work to get by.

I work at an apartment complex right across the street from the police station. A few weeks ago, my car was broken into and almost stolen in the middle of the day. They broke the side window, climbed in, and attempted to steal my car. I had a club installed but they didn't care. They tore apart my steering column and when they couldn't start it, they stabbed my radio screen and vandalized the exterior.

I couldn't afford the insurance deductible so I repaired everything as well as I could and replaced the window myself. I was just thankful that I could still drive to work to support my family.

Then yesterday, also in the middle of the day, they attempted to steal my car again. This time, they wrecked my ignition and desecrated my daughters things. I saw them and chased them off with a big bolt cutter, but the damage was done. Police showed up about an hour after my first call.

Today I took my wife's sedan to work. I parked directly across the street from the police station, 50 feet away. I only have one club, and it was still installed on my Santa Fe. My insurance company is working at a snails pace and can't get it towed to a shop for 3 days. (Don't ever get Progressive insurance btw). I worked until 5pm and went out to drive home, but the car was gone. My heart sank and I already knew what happened. The same people that have been terrorizing this neighborhood had taken it.

I made the 30 second walk to the police station and filed another report. I couldn't even bring myself to call my wife and tell her. She constantly worries because of the neighborhood I work in.

So now I have no drivable car to get to work, and my wife has no car to drive our daughter to and from her extra carricular activities. The little extra income we made from gig work is also gone until all this is resolved.

I'm the lone maintenance worker at an apartment complex, and I bust my butt to keep everything in good shape for the residents at my buildings. I am absolutely crushed by all of this. My family was struggling before, but now it's hard to see how we'll get through this.

I have no choice but to ask for help here to cover my insurance deductibles and car rental fees so I can keep my job and support my family. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you read all of this, I'd like to thank you for listening to my story and I hope you're having better luck than I have lately. God bless.