A woman repeatedly victimized by thieves while visiting her dying brother says she's touched by the kindness of strangers who stepped up.

Alberta resident Jean Jones came to Vancouver to spend time with her brother, who is in palliative care at St. Paul's Hospital.

During her three weeks in the city, a trip made to say goodbye, her vehicle was looted three times while parked in the hospital lot.

She lost thousands of dollars in belongings including her laptop and suitcase. Thieves even broke in to steal groceries, she said.

Speaking with CTV News, she said the thefts brought her to tears.

"I'm not rich. My car's 18 years old. I don't have money. All of this is stuff I’m going to have to replace. Took me a long time to get this stuff and it's gone in second," she said last week.

Within minutes of her story running on CTV, strangers began calling the newsroom to find out how they could help. Others placed calls to the hospital to offer assistance.

In addition to the financial aid, someone washed her car, and a social worker found a way to cover the cost of hospital parking.

"The good people are making up for the bad people, and I can't express how much it means to me," she told CTV Sunday.

"It's very generous, very thoughtful. I can't even say the words. It's awesome."

Jones was encouraged to set up an online fundraiser for those looking to help out. The page had raised $600 by Monday morning, money Jones said she'll use to replace her stolen items and allow her to focus on her brother as his health deteriorates.

Alan Johnson, who is fighting colorectal cancer, called the thieves who targeted his sister's Pontiac Grand Am GT "pathetic" and said they had "no morals."

"She's spending everything she has to be here," he said.

Vancouver police said the incidents are part of a wider surge of vehicle thefts in the downtown core.

Thefts from vehicles were up 38 per cent from November 2016 to November 2017. Officers focusing on downtown parking lots have arrested more than 25 people and charged them with more than 80 crimes.

"The majority of them were supporting a drug habit. They took that risk in order to get something to sell [to buy] drugs," Sgt. Jason Robillard said.

St. Paul's Hospital said it has cameras in the parkade and patrols the area 12 times a day. There were 10 complaints of thefts from vehicles in the last fiscal, and a dozen complaints in the last nine months.

Drivers are advised to keep valuables out of sight, though police say it's best not to leave anything in a vehicle.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Jon Woodward