When University student Angie Simonson couldn’t find her car outside her Second Avenue Southeast apartment Nov. 6 she assumed it had been towed for street sweeping.
In the back of her mind, she thought her car might have been stolen, although she doubted that scenario.
When she called the impound lot, they confirmed they had possession of the car, but it had been stolen, not towed.
Police reports state the 1992 black Acura Integra had been broken into with an unknown tool and stolen sometime during the night.
The car was then abandoned in an alley in North Minneapolis around 8 a.m.
Simonson, who just bought the car a month earlier, said the car wasn’t exactly new, and needed a lot of work on the inside, but it was her main mode of transportation.
“They didn’t really pick a good car,” Simonson said. “But they took out everything. They totally trashed it and then just left it an alley. It’s frustrating.”
The thief or thieves ripped out the car’s leather seats, ignition, gear shift, stereo and speakers.
“I don’t think they’re going to get much money for it when they try to sell it,” Simonson said.
She added she is not optimistic about prosecution of the case but said insurance money will provide her a new car.
“I filed a report and everything,” Simonson said. “But I don’t expect (police) to do anything. There’s no evidence of anybody. Karma will get (the thieves) back someday.”
This isn’t the first time one of Simonson’s cars has been the target of criminal activity.
This summer a drunk driver, who was driving without a license, hit her former car as it was parked on the street.
“It’s irritating,” Simonson said. “And I grew up around here, but this is like bad luck for me or something.”

In other police news:
Minneapolis police responded to a report of a burglary Nov. 12 at the Dinkytown Hemporium, located at 1308 Fifth Street S.E.
Though reported Sunday afternoon, the break-in actually occurred between 6:15 p.m Saturday and 11:13 a.m. Sunday.
Police reports state an unknown burglar or burglars gained entry to the business by breaking the front window to the right of the front door.
Store owner Christopher Repinski said police notified him the outside window had been broken and there had been a break-in.
The loss from the theft, which includes large tubing and expensive hand pipes, could reach up to $5,000.
The Hemporium has been burglarized before. Last year, someone broke an outside window, but, unlike this time, the burglar involved in that incident took only items from just inside the window.
“I feel like I’ve been violated,” Repinski said. “It’s like a reality of owning a business, but still it’s frustrating. It makes me really not want to be here.”
Lepinski is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of individuals involved in the theft.
Police have no suspects in the case.

ù Minneapolis police responded to a report of a car theft Nov. 12 at the 26th Avenue Southeast residence of Justin Asher.
The theft occurred sometime during the previous week while the 1989 Mazda 626 sat in front of Watson’s residence.
Asher didn’t immediately report the theft because he thought his roommate might have borrowed the car.
When his roommate returned, Watson reported the car stolen.
Police have no suspects or witnesses.

Justin Costley covers police and the courts and welcomes comments at [email protected]. He can also be reached at (612)627-4070 x3224