Teenage College Student Says She Worked Hard For Car That Armed Robbers Stole

She works 12-hour shifts as a student, paid cash for her car, then spent the past two years scouring salvage yards and having custom parts made to make it uniquely her own. But now it's destroyed.

Wednesday, November 26th 2014, 6:32 pm

By: News On 6

Teenage College Student Says She Worked Hard For Car That Armed Robbers Stole

A teenage girl who poured everything she had into her 2004 Mustang has nothing left after teenagers carjacked her, then wrecked her pride and joy.

Kyra Strickland loved her car so much she named it Tricia. When she bought it, it had a salvage title but had been totally restored. She paid cash for it, then spent the past two years scouring salvage yards and having custom parts made to make it uniquely her own, but now it's destroyed.

"They just got in front of me and hold a gun in my face,” she said. “I didn't know what was going on at first and he said, ‘give me your purse, your keys, everything or I'll shoot you in the head.'"

Kyra and her friend stopped at the QuikTrip near 13th and Garnett around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday to use the ATM to get cash to buy ice cream.

Four teenagers jumped out of an older white GMC truck and approached them.

When one pointed the gun at her, she started screaming.

"That's when he freaked out, ripped the keys out of my hand they both jumped in the car," she said.

Two jumped into her Mustang and the other two jumped into the truck and they all took off.

Kyra's Mustang has a custom painted hood and spoiler, a new exhaust system and tinted windows, so it didn't take police officers long to spot it.

Unfortunately, the thieves crashed into a rock wall.

Police arrested 16-year-old year Jason Burress and Shuky Haas for armed robbery.

11/26/2014 Related Story: Tulsa Police: Two Teens Steal Car At Gunpoint, Wreck It

They say Burress was the one with the gun; he hid in a shed but the police dog found him. He was treated for a bite wound.

Kyra would like them to know how hard she worked and all she sacrificed for that car.

"I work at a bar ‘til 2 in the morning, 12-hour shifts. My college costs $5,000 a semester. My car insurance is $200 a month because of the title and still not getting that,” she said. “They just don't get that, that people work crazy hours to buy the things they have."

Police told Kyra the teenagers were in DHS custody and ran away from a shelter and took the car because they were looking for something to do.

Because it had a salvage title, even though she had full coverage, Kyra won't get back nearly what she put into it.

Kyra Strickland has set up a 'GoFundMe' account to help with the purchase of another car.