ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Smash-and-grab robberies are still happening in the Rochester area, according to police.

But business owners are not the only ones affected by these crimes. It has also been a struggle for the owners of the vehicles that are stolen and then used as battering rams.

Brandy Jones had no idea that her life would change in a matter of minutes recently. She bought her Hyundai in December 2022 and parked it on the street without any problems until last Monday night. Police say her car was used in a series of smash-and-grab robberies that occurred just two minutes away from her house.

Brandy’s car was found dumped in an impound lot. The window was broken, the back bumper was missing, and the car was trashed, she says. The thieves didn't take much, but they did take the prayer card her grandfather had given her.

She described the moment she saw her car after the incident.

"My stomach literally flipped," she said. "I got so sick when I saw that and I knew as soon as I saw [it]. And you know, for a measly $100 that they're going to take from these stores and they're breaking into people's properties that we work so hard for."

Brandy was not the only victim of the smash-and-grab robberies that night. Several businesses in the area were also impacted, investigators say. Brandy’s car was used as a getaway car, which is why it was found in the impound lot. However, the thieves did not take into account the impact this would have on Brandy’s life.

As a Door Dash driver, Brandy relied on her car to make a living. She is now struggling to figure out how to survive without her car.

"I'm a delivery driver. That's what I do," Brandy said. "And now I can't do it because, you know, I don't have a vehicle to use it for it. So that was my main source of income. And now I have nothing. These kids are out here doing this, and there's no repercussions for them."

Brandy had just started a new job and the day her car got stolen was only her second day of training. She is now missing out on wages because of the thieves' actions. Brandy wanted to continue to try to create a better life for herself by getting a second job, but the incident is making it difficult for her to make ends meet.

Brandy did have liability car coverage, but she did not have theft or collision coverage. That means insurance could not cover the damages. Brandy has now set up a fundraiser to help herself get back on her feet.