CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — According to www.kcrg.com, thieves broke into Westdale Car Wash twice in 19 days.
“I was kind of devastated,” said co-owner Tara Mettler. “It’s like we didn’t even have time to fix what had already been broken.”
Early on Christmas Eve, one set of thieves broke in and stole a few hundred dollars in cash but left over $20,000 in damage, the article continued; a few weeks later, another duo stole around $700 in cash and caused $6,000 worth of damage.
Jason Mettler, Tara’s husband, said he doesn’t think the robberies are connected but that they could not have come at a worse time, as the family is trying to pull together enough money to buy a handicap-accessible van for their daughter, Allie, before she leaves for college in the fall, the article noted.
“Basically falling short before any of this happened, but obviously all of this happening, well, makes us fall even farther behind,” said Jason.
Allie was born with spina bifida, and it costs about $65,000 to purchase a vehicle with the wheelchair ramp addition, the article noted.
“That way, my friends and family don’t have to cart me everywhere, and so I can be more independent and free,” said Allie.
In regards to the first robbery, police have arrested Logan Toomer, 28, who is facing several charges for the robbery and vandalism, the article stated.
Police are still looking for Toomer’s partner in crime as well as the suspects from the second break-in, the article added.
If you’d like to donate money to help fund a new vehicle for the Mettlers, click here.
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