HOUSTON – A break-in at a bike store Thursday morning wasn't the first one in the area—it wasn't even a first for the particular bike shop.
In March, suspects were seen rushing into a TruTri Sports in Cypress, each rushing out with two bikes. They quickly stuffed them into a van and took off.
Then, for a fifth time since September, the Bike Barn in West U was the store of choice for thieves.
"We've had about six months of no crime and pretty quiet at all of the stores," Bike Barn co-owner Lee Neathery said.
Until Thursday morning. On surveillance video, two men enter through the side of the building just before 4 a.m. and quickly begin prying the door open. As the alarm sounds, you can see them sprint onto the sales floor, however, minutes later, they return with very little.
"All of our bikes are cabled down at night and locked down," Neathery said. "Expensive bikes are put in locked closets, so luckily, this time the burglars came out empty-handed without any bikes."
The crooks did manage to get away with a computer on their way out. Having compiled a folder filled with products stolen in the past, Neathery said her stores have suffered at least $100,000 in losses.
"It's really unnerving and it just wakes you up out of your sleep at 4 a.m. when your phone's ringing and you see the number and know it's the security company," she said. "It's a very disturbing feeling and I think like all victims of crime, whether it's your home or your business, it's very personal and you feel very violated."
The store estimates the damage done Thursday, along with replacing the stolen computer, should cost them from $4,000 to $5,000.
Investigators are also trying to figure out on what streets the bike burglars are selling their stolen goods on. Anyone with information is asked to call Houston police.