Taco Truck Owner Credits Local News Viewers With Finding, Returning Stolen Vehicle

A woman from California is crediting local news viewers for finding and returning her stolen taco truck.

Enya Sandoval, an Oakland resident, told ABC7 that her truck went missing on Oct. 15. She said she put her life savings into the business, Miss Chiles, where she makes authentic Mexican food from scratch.

"I've been crying all day and, on top of that, I borrowed $9,000 from my sister," Sandoval told the station shortly after her truck went missing. "To me, it wasn't that somebody took my truck. It was like someone took my hopes my dreams, [you] know? I feel like they took my soul."

Sandoval bought the truck about four months ago. She said she recently transitioned from a man to a woman, and this truck symbolizes how far she has come.

ABC7 viewers who heard Sandoval's story spotted the truck in an Oakland neighborhood, but it was gone several hours later. More viewers spotted the truck in East Oakland on Thursday, and police were able to recover the vehicle.

“It’s a happy day,” Sandoval told SFGATE. “… It’s damaged, but I do believe it can be fixed.”

Sandoval's friend organized a GoFundMe, which has raised over $10,000 so far. The proceeds will go toward fixing the truck and replacing stolen equipment, according to SFGATE.

She said she hopes to reopen by Thanksgiving in a recent Instagram post.

No arrests have been made, ABC7 reported.