Artist Victimized While Trying To Help With Free Online Classes During Coronavirus Lockdown

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Just as one woman was trying to do her part to help people cooped up by the coronavirus pandemic, she was targeted by thieves.

Lindsey Liberman thought she'd give everyone a little stress relief during the coronavirus outbreak.

So with the help of a friend who has a studio, Liberman got out her supplies and started an online painting class for free.

But just as she got to work, surveillance footage captured thieves jumping into action too – breaking into her truck, stealing her bank card and even jumping underneath it and cutting out the vehicle's catalytic converter.

"I was really already struggling and this really kind of killed all my motivation," Liberman said. "I was just here trying to do something nice for people and didn't hurt anybody and they kind of took all that away from me."

Liberman's friend John Christensen owns the Sacramento Media Center where the incident happened.

"It's just an assault on us. I mean this is Lindsey's only means of transportation," Christensen said. "She can't drive anywhere now, she can't go pick up supplies."

While Christensen wants the thieves caught, Liberman just wonders when she'll be able to get back on her feet.

"I think they guestimated that was gonna be more than a few thousand dollars and to me, a hundred dollars is a lot of money so it's super stressful," she said. "I have no dollars. And trying to feed me and my dog is hard enough on top of fixing my truck."

Liberman lost her jobs when the stay-at-home orders came down, and now she doesn't have a vehicle to get around either.