Woman With Big Heart Says Her SUV Was Stolen By Homeless House Guest

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) - A military veteran with a big heart was swindled for helping a homeless woman.

Sharon Larson lives in Fairfield. She says she was helping a homeless woman who repaid her by stealing her SUV. Now she's pleading for the thief to bring the vehicle back.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do if I don't get my car back," said Larson.

Larson says she was just trying to do the right thing. She was at a McDonald's restaurant off West Texas Street in Fairfield on Monday when she saw a homeless woman sitting outside. She didn't want her to spend the night out in the cold so she took her home.

"It's so cold out and she doesn't have any winter clothes on," she said describing the suspect.

Larson says she invited the woman into her house for the night, but her generosity was soon abused.

"I went into the bathroom to change into my pajamas and when I came out, she wasn't sitting there," she said.

Larson searched her home for the woman and says she couldn't believe what she saw once she opened her door.

"I opened the door and saw my backlights and I said: 'oh my god, she's stealing my car!'" she said.

Larson says the woman sped off with her 2011 blue Mazda SUV, what she calls her lifeline.

"That's my pride and joy, that's my top...and she took it," said Larson.

Once homeless herself, Larson knows what it's like to live on the streets.

Larson says she's helped a handful of homeless men and women but she never thought she'd get hurt in the process.

"I was just helping her, why?" she said.

Her only way of getting around now is by foot. It's a lesson learned the hard way and now she's thinking twice before helping others.

"I don't know if I can help people again," she said.

Her SUV has been reported stolen, but so far, police have no leads.