Schoolkids were also impacted by car thieves in El Cerrito, reports NBC 7’s Shandel Menezes.
Alex Ferre‘s Wednesday night run to the grocery store turned into a disaster.
As he finished shopping at Vons in El Cerrito, he realized his Kia Soul was missing. And so were his keys.
“The most bizarre feeling of my life is just to not see my car in the spot I know I parked it," Ferre said.
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In the backseat of his car and in the trunk was about $10,000 worth of Lego robotics equipment that he needs and uses because Ferre is a teacher.
As an academic enrichment teacher, Ferre brings Legos to afterschool programs to teach kids STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
“It's these different types of Lego robotics called Ev3 and WeDo Lego," Ferre explained.
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His car is a classroom on wheels, which is why Ferre said his curriculum will need to adjust for the loss.
Although he’s devastated, he said the kids got robbed too.
“If you think about taking a car for a joyride or stealing something for just the sake of it, really think about how that hinders other people," he said.
His message to others who carry their work in their cars is to take everything valuable out, whether you’re out and about or heading in for the night.
Ferre organized a GoFundMe to help recoup his students' losses.
