Thief targets San Rafael catering company's only delivery van, stealing its catalytic converter
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) -- For the past 26 years, Terry Eberle has run her catering company, Cater Marin, out of this small storefront in San Rafael.
Since 1996, she and her company have survived many ups and downs.
Earlier this week, they were dealt another blow.
"My chef came into the kitchen on Thursday morning and did not see the van in the parking lot where we always park it," Eberle said.
At some point between the close of shop Wednesday and opening on Thursday, someone stole Eberle's only delivery van.
VIDEO: Fed up with theft, SF boutique heads to small claims court over customer they say took items
A vehicle that one of her employees found several hours later a couple of blocks up the road on a hill where it's still stuck.
"We realized that they took the catalytic converter," Eberle said.
Catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed in recent years around the Bay Area and across the nation.
A trend that can cause victimized car owners thousands of dollars to get their vehicles fixed.
Money Eberle says, she just doesn't have.
WATCH: Brazen videos capture Bay Area catalytic converter thieves in the act
"Do I want to put $5,000 into a 26-year-old van, and fix it up? Maybe I do, I don't know," she said.
And with her business finally starting to get back on its feet after nearly two years of pandemic related restrictions, Eberle says she's unsure of what she'll do next.
"This vehicle is valuable. It may not have book value but it's really valuable to us to get our equipment to and from events," Eberle said.
Eberle says she has filed a police report with San Rafael police.
And says despite the challenges in front of her, she'll survive one way or another.
"I understand we're all going through hard times and we've got to do what we can do to survive and we do. But, gosh, to do things to small businesses that are just coming back, it's really a low blow. It really, really is," Eberle said.
