STANWOOD, Wash. — A Stanwood man is left picking up the pieces after he was targeted twice by thieves who took almost everything he owns.
John Somervold just spent $800 having his stolen catalytic converter replaced when three days later, his work van, trailer and every piece of equipment he owns for his landscaping business were stolen.
"Now, I have just the utter grief and despair of the fact that I have nothing," Somervold said.
Somervold estimates the loss is about $30,000.
"It's heart-wrenching," he said. "I don't know why people would do that."
Two decades of equipment, plus personal pictures and papers are all gone.
He also doesn’t have contact information to tell his clients what happened.
"My clients are going to be disappearing," Somervold said. "I'm afraid I won't have any left."
The landscaper recently lost his home when the landlord raised the rent so he was keeping everything in the van. He's currently staying with a friend.
"You don't sleep at night because you don't know if they're gonna come in your house because they have your keys. You hear every little noise and you're shaking," Somervold said.
Police say criminals are growing bolder across Washington.
"If you need money, go mow a lawn, walk a dog. Go somewhere and do something. Don't just steal people's stuff," said Somervold, shaking his head. "The problem is, nobody's gonna do anything about it."
Fed up with crime, Somervold says he wants to leave Washington, but now he has no idea how.
"When you have your whole life just disappear there's nothing you can do. You can't work, you can't go to the store, you can't drive."
For now, he simply hopes someone will return his van, a white Ford Econoline 350 Triton and his trailer with the brand name Yacht Club.
"I'm hoping they might find some kind of humanistic feeling inside and realize they really hurt a person," Somervold said. "I'm just very, very sad."
Anyone with information about the stolen property should call Stanwood police.