'Christmas miracle:' Mom's stolen car with gifts inside recovered in Whitewater



WHITEWATER -- You could call it a Christmas miracle. A stolen car has been found and the gifts inside the trunk were recovered. The car was stolen from a Whitewater gas station. It's a story FOX6 News shared on Tuesday, Dec. 11.

Danielle Palms says it feels like a weight has been lifted. Her car and children's gifts have been found. Police say this is one of several car thefts in the last few months.

Danielle Palms



Danielle Palms



"Happiness, happiness, that's purely it," said Palms.

There might not be anything better than what Danielle Palms is feeling.

"I'm so ecstatic. I'm so ecstatic that my life gets to continue on," Palms said.

The worry of the past 72 hours has faded. No more anxiety about how she'll get around or what she'll give her kids on Christmas.

"I'm speechless, completely. I didn't really think I was going to get the car back," said Palms.

Sunday evening, Dec. 9 Palms' car was stolen from Casey's General Store in Whitewater. Surveillance captured the moments a man hopped in the 2001 Saturn and took off.



Palms thought her vehicle was gone forever, and worried the toys in her trunk would be lost for good.



"I couldn't sleep, where was it, what was I going to do?" Palms said.

Less than 24 hours after she shared her story with FOX6, the vehicle was found.

Whitewater police say it was located nearby, and is one of seven cars stolen from the area in the last three months.



"It's a frustration that we're having those issues in our community," said Cpt. Daniel Meyer, Whitewater Police Department.

Daniel Meyer



Police aren't sure who is responsible but they believe all of the thefts are connected.

"If there is any information anybody has, we appreciate any assistance from the public that we can get," Meyer said.

For Palms, this is the best gift she could have ever imagined -- reassurance her holiday will be alright.

"This is enough, this is my Christmas miracle. This is what I needed," said Palms.



Since the story aired on FOX6, several people have reached out to Palms wanting to help her. She wanted to thank everyone.

Meantime, police are asking anyone with information about the rash of car thefts to give them a call.