MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A Milwaukee business owner is speaking out after her stolen car was involved in a multi-vehicle crash that ended in flames on Christmas Day.
Baboonie Tatum, co-owner of Rise N Grind, said her black Volkswagen was stolen from her driveway the day before the crash near North 68th and Fiebrantz. The incident sent multiple people to the hospital and was captured on video that circulated widely on social media.
Milwaukee Police said the three men in the stolen vehicle failed to yield, hit one car, then crashed into another vehicle before the car caught fire. All three men , who were in the car that caused the crash, were taken to the hospital and arrested.
The car the three men were driving was Tatum's.
Watch: Milwaukee cafe owner's stolen car involved in fiery Christmas Day crash:
"I got an inbox on Christmas Day from a young lady I work with at the Sherman Phoenix and she sent me the picture, and looked and I said 'yep I think this is my car,'" Tatum said.
"When you saw that video of your car crashed into multiple other cars, on fire, what was your reaction?" Reporter Jenna Rae asked.
"I did cry a little bit, I was frustrated because...it's just a big inconvenience," Tatum said. "For someone to take something that's yours, you feel violated, plus they came behind my house, so you really feel violated."
The theft wasn't limited to just her car. Tatum said her daughter's car and another vehicle they owned were also broken into and rummaged through.
Tatum expressed frustration about the ongoing cycle of car thefts and crashes in the city.
"They keep getting hurt, they keep killing themselves, they keep hurting others, like why is this worth it? Is it still worth it?" Tatum said. "You're hurting yourself, you're hurting your family, you're hurting other families, I wish they would just stop."
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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