KILLEEN, Texas — Imagine working a long day at work and then you go out to the parking lot to find an empty space where your car used to be.

That’s what happened to a woman in Killeen.

Desiree Young got off her shift at a Dollar General in Killeen to find that someone had stolen her car.

”I called my husband to see if he was maybe playing a prank on me and he was like, why would I have your car,” said Young. “I was like, I need to you to come up here because my car is gone.”

The thief was eventually arrested, but not before flipping her car and totaling it.

The loss of a vehicle has affected her whole family.

“It’s a major inconvenience for my mother and for them to have to stop what they’re doing to give me rides or I have to borrow their vehicle,” said Young. “Which, leaves them without a vehicle if I have to go run an errand.”

Car theft is a problem more and more people are facing in Bell County.

”I don’t know the exact numbers, but Killeen seems to have quite a few, as well as Temple,” said Deputy Joe Lopez with the Bell County Sheriff’s Auto Theft Task Force.

Lopez said here are steps you can take to protect your car.

”Lock your vehicles,” said Lopez. “Keep your keys in the house and if you have a garage utilize it.”

She’s now asking the community for help with a down payment on a used car.

”I know everybody is in their own situation right now and times are tough for everybody,” said Young. “I’m not the only one but, if anyone is kind enough and would reach out and want to donate anything or just share the link to my GoFundMe, I would appreciate it very much.”

Young said she forgives the person that stole her car and hopes it will be a life lesson for them.

Now she needs to get a new one and hopes the community can help her do that. A link to the GoFundMe can be found here.