Southie woman finds stolen car & recovers box with late mother's items

Sarah Carbone has lived in South Boston for years and even has her own off-street parking spot - but that didn't stop thieves from getting into her car.

Carbone says thieves stole her brand-new Jeep Cherokee right from the spot behind her house.

“I had parked my car Thursday night," said Carbone. "I went out Friday morning and it was gone.”

However, Carbone didn't just lose her car, what was inside and also got stolen is what mattered most to her.

“I was at my dad’s house on the Cape and put my mother’s mementos in boxes into my car," said Carbone. "She passed three years ago so I just happened to have them all in my car.”

Inside the box were things like pictures of her mother and letters such as the one she wrote her daughter before she went off to college, which reads: “Dad and I love you very much. You are always in my heart, that way I won’t feel so bad about you growing up.”

While police did everything they could, the car still didn't turn up, so on Monday Carbone took matters into her own hands and drove around the neighborhood for hours.

Just as she was about to give up, Carbone found the car while stopped at a traffic light.

“And then I was at the stop light and I looked over and said, ‘Oh my God that’s my car,'" said Carbone. “The car was ransacked. And there was stuff everywhere.”

Thankfully, the priceless items from her mom were all intact.

“Thankfully all my stuff was in the back of the car and that was what was most important to me," said Carbone.

Police couldn't believe nothing was stolen, but Sarah believes her mom had a hand in making sure nothing happened.

“100 percent, I prayed to her the other night and even my dad said she’s gonna help you out," said Carbone.

Carbone, who was born on Christmas Eve, says this was definitely an early Christmas present.

Cox Media Group