Family of Valentine's Day shooting victim experiences auto theft, home break-in: 'They’re getting us at our most vulnerable stage'

The loved ones of a young girl who lost her life in a Valentine’s Day shooting said they’ve fallen victim to crime again, per reports from Houston-based media outlets.

Nine-year-old Arlene Alvarez was struck by gunfire in the parking lot of a southeast Houston bank just as she and her family were reportedly headed to dinner at her favorite restaurant, Spanky's Pizza. The De Zavala Elementary School fourth grader succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

Houston FOX affiliate KRIV reported that the Alvarezes lost their truck to a thief on Wednesday, just a couple of months after someone allegedly broke into their house.

Wendy and Armando Alvarez, the late child’s parents, believe the individual who drove away with their truck was also involved in the break-in, which, they said, occurred while the family vacationed at Disney World in Florida, KRIV reported.

"They’re getting us at our most vulnerable stage,” Wendy Alvarez told the station. “And that is really messed up because this person had to have a lot of courage to break into our house again. Not one time, but twice."

According to Houston NBC affiliate KPRC, the couple used a tracking app and contacted police.

The station reported that a Houston police officer spotted the truck in Downtown Houston and pursued the vehicle when the motorist refused to pull over.

The chase went all the way to the Spring area where the alleged thief abandoned the vehicle and tried to evade police on foot.

Authorities tracked him down to a retention pond and arrested him, KPRC reported.

Armando Alvarez told KRIV that the truck is more than a means of transportation for him and his family.

An electrician by trade, he explained that he worked out of the vehicle, which was returned to its owners.

"That’s how I feed my family," Armando Alvarez said, KRIV reported.

The man who shot Arlene, Tony Earls, was the apparent victim of an ATM robbery that took place just as the Alvarezes arrived.

Authorities said he was targeted by the unidentified culprit.

Houston Daily reported in July that a Harris County grand jury declined to indict him on aggravated assault.