TBS Today, Aug. 14

Today we want to tell you about Javier Quezada.

On a recent morning in Berkeley, it took car thieves just minutes to upend the life it took Javier decades to build.

Thieves stole his truck and all of his landscaping equipment, thousands of dollars in cash and his most important documents. He's still trying to put the pieces back together.

Auto theft is a property crime, but it can still be a heavy burden: Even those who are lucky enough to get their cars back are left dealing with the fallout.

Nearly 800 vehicles have been stolen in Berkeley this year, up 63% from last year at this time, according to BPD data.

Much of that increase has been driven by the TikTok-fueled trend of Hyundai and Kia thefts, but many others have also fallen victim.

Don't miss today's top story. Read to the end to find out how you can help Javier.

He got his stolen truck back, but his troubles aren’t over

A community fundraiser helped replace his tools and publicity helped find his truck. But now repairs have been stalled by Progressive insurance.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

And how about those late-night showers?

We also have a report about a woman who was robbed at gunpoint in North Berkeley while walking near Hopkins and Albina on Sunday evening.

The neighborhood is generally safe, but there have been about a dozen robberies this year in Berkeley on or above Hopkins Street.

Woman robbed at gunpoint in North Berkeley

There have been nearly 200 robberies in Berkeley this year, up 8% from this time last year, according to the latest BPD data.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

There have been nearly 200 robberies in total this year, up 8% compared to last year at this time, according to BPD's Transparency Hub data portal.

We always try to give you the context you need for the stories we cover.