MEYERLAND, Texas – Thieves broke in and swiped marble flooring from a flood victim's home in Meyerland.
Harris County Precinct 5 Sgt. Denny Gaston said that it appeared the thieves smashed a front window to enter the house and then cut the Terrazzo flooring into slabs, removed it and reclaimed it.
“I can only assume it was a contractor because it is professional," said Gaston, “This marble floor is the original and has been in the house for well over 60 years."
The homeowners filed a police report Thursday after they discovered the theft. They didn’t want to reveal their identity but said that they don’t have insurance on the floor because it was declared substantially damaged during Hurricane Harvey.
People who live in the area told KPRC that their hearts go out to their neighbors.
“It’s just awful," said Cory Giovanella, “It is always terrible to be robbed but to take advantage of the people who are in these situations or still struggling" seems especially harsh, Giovanella said.
Gaston said that police have upped patrols and the community as a whole has been vigilant. But he said the opportunistic crime is still an issue.
“The message we want to send out to Houston and not just this area, is when you see something suspicious, call us,’ Gaston said.
The thieves got away with all of the flooring but they did leave behind a baseball bat. Investigators believe it was likely used to smash the front window.