A Contra Costa County man is devastated after all the tools he needs to work were stolen.
The man’s truck and gardening equipment were taken minutes after he arrived to a worksite last week and it has put his livelihood in jeopardy.
“I can’t understand these people do that, I work hard for many years, 37 years in the U.S.A. working every day, sometimes seven days a week,” said Javier Quezada of Quezada Garden Service.
He said everything he’s worked for to build his gardening business was stolen in mere minutes.
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He had just started working at a job site in Berkeley last week when someone stole his work truck filled with thousands of dollars in equipment.
“All my equipment for gardening is in there, lawnmower, weedeater, blower, hedge trimmer, all the tools, hand tools, everything,” said Javier.
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A surveillance camera captured some of it on video.
“It seems like they just hopped from their driver side, open the truck, hot wire it and they’re gone,” said Nancy Quezada, the victim’s daughter. “We see it was a black car, four-door, it has tinted windows.”
Javier was supposed to fly to Mexico the very next day for a much-needed break. His passport, documents and $4,000 in cash, including his rent money, were also taken.
But it’s the tools for his livelihood that worries him most -- especially his truck
“I need my truck,” he said. “That is my, is my dream when I come from Mexico I saw people driving a good car and I said, ‘Jesus help me to buy that,’ and thank you to him I bought it brand new.”
“It’s devastating,” said Nancy. “It’s messed up how someone who works so hard to have what they have gets taken away within minutes.’
His daughter says her dad’s work ethic is unmatched. He nearly lost his life to tuberculosis in February but after 10 days in the hospital, he was right back to working.
“My lawnmower is like a walker for me because I walk a little shaky, but I have to keep going because the bills never wait,” said Javier.
Javier’s kids have set up a GoFundMe and are grateful he wasn’t hurt but Javier needs the tools of his trade to keep fueling his American dream.
“It’s hard when you have something and you’re working hard to get it and you lose it everything look like come down,” he said.
