WEBSTER, Texas – Tim Smith of Webster woke up to a mess Wednesday morning after someone broke into his car overnight. The thieves took just about everything they could get their hands on.
"All my audio had been taken, my skateboard's gone," said Smith. "Pretty much everything out of the car. The change. Everything."
Smith wasn't the only one whom the crooks hit at the Capital Estates apartment complex on South Austin. Police said the thieves broke into and stole from at least five other vehicles. With no surveillance cameras on the grounds, the crime wasn't captured on video and no known witnesses have come forward.
"It's pretty emotional," said Smith. "It makes me feel like, you know, there's some thoughts like, 'Is it my fault for having nice stuff in my car?' You know I spent about $700 when all was said and done for the audio stuff in my car."
To rub even more salt into the wounds of their targets, the bold crooks showed that they couldn't care less about proximity. The complex sits just around the corner, about the length of a football field from the Webster Police Department. The crime has left Smith and the other victims frustrated.
"You work a hard day and your stuff gets taken," said Smith. "So what's the point of saving up for anything nice if you're just going to have this happen again?"
Police say car owners should evaluate their car alarms. In many cases, once an alarm is triggered, thieves can quickly turn it off simply by lifting a lock that has the ability to unlock every door.