With an average of one vehicle stolen almost every hour in New Orleans and a shortage of police officers to recover them; victims are often left trying to find their own car, truck or SUV.
That can be dangerous, as a Wednesday shooting showed.
"Victim approached friend’s known stolen vehicle in hopes of getting it back," according to an initial police report.
The problem? The car thieves were still using the vehicle.
"Suspects inside of vehicle fired shots and struck victim."
That was shortly after noon in the 2000 block of Caton St. in Gentilly.
The thieves set the stolen car on fire.
Cops later found the vehicle with "heavy burn damage."
