Woman's stolen car found with others, police investigating possible connection

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — UPDATE 10 p.m.

There were a number of things missing from the car, including half of her daughter's kindergarten artwork, but Roberta Simoni is still thankful she got her car back.

“It definitely makes you feel very violated,” Simoni said. She spent Tuesday afternoon scrubbing and cleaning out her car after finally getting it back.

“There was nothing.  Everything was completely taken out of my car.  There's pictures gone.  My daughter’s artwork.  Not even half of it was in there.”

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The car was stolen from Roberta's driveway on Connie Drive in Ross Township Friday morning.

The crime was caught on her home surveillance camera.

Tuesday morning, she learned the car was found at a gas station in O’Hara Township, along with two other stolen cars.

But getting it back wasn't so easy after a tow company picked it up.

"I was unaware that I was going to have to pay over $200 to retrieve my car,” Simoni said.

First the victim of a crime, then she was penalized for it until someone stepped up and anonymously paid the bill for her.

“It's really nice to know that people like you are out there. I really, really appreciate it. Thank you again.”

County police are investigating to determine if the two crimes are connected.

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A woman told Channel 11 News that her car was stolen early Friday morning from outside her house in Ross Township.

Surveillance video shows two men going through Roberta Simoni’s white Chevrolet Cobalt on Connie Drive. They then drove away after backing it into a truck parked in the driveway and a post.

Simoni said she filed a police report and was told that it wasn’t the first car break-in they had heard about.

While Simoni admitted that she left her doors unlocked, she would like to get what was taken back -- specifically, her daughter’s irreplaceable artwork.

“My daughter started kindergarten this year, everything she made by hand is in a big folder in my trunk,” said Simoni.

While she and her family were sleeping early Friday morning, she said the thieves went onto her family’s property looking for easy access to a car.

“I saw two men walking down my driveway and one went into his truck,” Simoni said.

In the video captured by Simoni, one of the men looks to be wearing a hat and the other looks to be wearing a hood. The video shows the men going through the car with flashlights.

The suspects carefully shut the car door and left. A minute later, they returned. One got into the car and as the headlights went on, the other acted as a lookout.

Simoni filed a police report because she wants not only her car back, but her daughter’s things.

“It was on her birthday. She had birthday money, birthday cards, birthday presents. Who does that? Who, with no regard, takes someone's car like it's nothing?” Simoni said.

Ross police told Channel 11 they have had a number of call for car break-ins, but no other calls about stolen cars.

Cox Media Group