INDIANAPOLIS — Help is wanted for one small business, but it's not employees that the owners need.
A south Indianapolis couple woke up to find that their food truck stand had been stolen overnight. Surveillance video shows the thieves were able to take off with the parked trailer in minutes.
That was nearly two weeks ago on Dec. 30. It was found the next day, nearly a mile away from where it was stolen, but it had been completely gutted.
"From the outside, they took the logo, the lights, the locks and stuff," explained Frida Hernandez. Her mom, Veronica Garcia, helps run the food truck with her boyfriend, Efrain Santuario. "And then on the inside ... all of our equipment was gone, even like the countertops, the stove, the grill."
The couple did not have insurance on the food stand and are now scrambling to cover the costly repairs to get the business back up and running.
The truck is frequently parked outside of the Decatur Woods Dental office, serving regular customers there.
When the staff at the dental office heard what happened, they wanted to help.
"The food truck was this family’s livelihood. This was their business. This is how they pay their bills and how they feed their children. The owners are great people. They are now entering the new year with nothing," Dr. Johnathan Keller wrote in a GoFundMe campaign set up on the family's behalf.
Keller is the dentist who owns the dental office where the food stand usually parks.
"Let’s help them out; not only because they are valued members of our society who need our help, but also because WE WANT TACOS," he added.
The goal is to raise $15,000. Keller wrote that he and his staff are looking for other ways to raise money beyond the online fundraising.
"My mom is so appreciative. And I think it's so kind and generous of these people, especially the owner of the dentist office," said Hernandez of the money raised so far – just over $1,600 as of Wednesday.
She's hopeful her family's food truck will be back to serving authentic Mexican food soon because she knows how much this truck meant to them.