Video at the source link.
~~

Theft Victim Shocked by Connection to Smuggling Attempt
Monday , February 18, 2008 Posted: 06:55 PM


Woman doesn't want truck returned

WESLACO - A woman is coping with the news that her car was stolen and used in a deadly smuggling attempt.

Sophia Landero was shopping for Valentine's Day cards with her husband and little sister last week. They stopped at the Wal-Mart in Weslaco. They returned to the parking lot in less than 10 minutes and discovered her truck was stolen.

"I was shocked," she says. "Me and my husband were, like, where's the truck? We parked it right there. I mean, it was shocking. I didn't expect my truck to ever get stolen."

Landero next spotted her 2002 Dodge Ram on NEWSCHANNEL 5.

She tells us, "People kept on calling, letting me know, it's in the news. It's in the news. I was like 'What?"'

Sheriff's investigators say Arturo Vega Cardenas was trying to smuggle illegals in the stolen truck. He led officers on a chase, then crashed the truck near San Isidro. One illegal died in the accident.

Landero says, "I was, like, oh my God, I can't believe it. I mean, I didn't even know what they were doing with my truck, until they said it that they were transporting illegals."

"I thought it was going to Mexico. Because, you know how they were saying a lot of vehicles were going to Mexico. That's what I assumed," she says. "I didn't even expect to see it in the news."

Authorities say Cardenas admitted to stealing the truck, then transporting illegal immigrants with it. He's now behind bars. The Immigration Customs and Enforcement agency is now handling the case.

Landero says she's so upset by the death of the illegal and the way her truck was used that she doesn't want it back.

"It's hard, because I understand that they're trying to come over here to make a better life for themselves. But there's a lot of risk involved with that," she adds.

Landero tells us she hopes the incident will be a lesson to others trying to cross illegally and the people trying to help them.

www.newschannel5tv