HOUSTON – A southwest Houston Kroger gas station is beefing up security after several thefts of items from customers' vehicles.
"Before this, I would have always said I was a vigilant person and that I would never leave my car unlocked to get gas," said Paula Hoffman.
When Hoffman stopped to get gas at the Kroger gas station on West Bellfort near South Post Oak Road in the Meyerland area, she said someone stole from her car.
"It was only just a few minutes when I got out to pay and enter my ZIP code," she said.
Hoffman said she got back into her car where her three kids were sitting in the back seat and she noticed a diaper bag she had upfront was gone.
"I didn't notice at the time. My kids who were in the car didn't notice. That's how quick and stealthy it was," Hoffman said.
She told us she went to report it to a manager at the Kroger who she said spotted the thief in store surveillance video. However Kroger would not release that video to KPRC 2.
According to Hoffman, the manager saw someone drive up next to her car and take the diaper bag from the passenger seat before driving off.
"I had three kids in the car and somebody was inside my car. It's very unsettling," said Hoffman.
A spokesperson for Kroger sent KPRC 2 a statement about the issue that read in part, "Given the recent increase in incidents of this type throughout Southwest Houston, we have put additional employees and security measures in place at our West Bellfort fuel center."
On Monday we saw Kroger employees handing out fliers to customers with tips on how to protect their property and be safe. A security guard also patrolled the gas station all day.