Thieves Target Neighborhoods In Douglas County
By Tom Mustin
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Authorities in Douglas County are looking for suspects after a series of home and auto break-ins over the Labor Day weekend.
Katelyn Seymour is still frightened after being targeted by thieves in her Parker neighborhood.
"It's pretty scary. You feel violated," she told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
Over Labor Day weekend, dozens of cars and a handful of homes were looted, from Parker to Highlands Ranch to Castle Rock.
"They hit a lot of houses and a lot of cars in one night," said Seymour. "It had to have been well organized people who knew what they were doing."
Police say most of the cars were left unlocked. Several homeowners had left their garage doors open. In Katelyn's Clark Farms neighborhood, several vehicles were targeted, a total of 18 were hit in Parker.
Saturday night, Katelyn pulled in to her driveway. She picked up her son Cooper and thought she had locked her car.
"I pressed the button and thought I heard it, but you know, I had the baby in one arm and groceries in the other… and I'm trying to get in the house," she said.
When she went to the car the next morning, "My front door was wide open, my driver's side door."
Her registration papers were gone. Police told her, other neighbors also had their garage door openers stolen.
"They said the point of taking your registration and garage door is so they can come back and rob your home at a later date. So, they have your address and everything."
Some residents in Douglas County reported people throwing tennis balls into back yards and then ringing the doorbell. If the homeowner answered, the suspects said they were looking for their tennis ball. If no one answered, the criminals broke into the home.
"I've heard they're coming into Parker and Highlands Ranch because they think we're easy targets," said Seymour.
And after another weekend of crime, with no arrests made, Katelyn says she's learned her lesson about locking her car door. She hopes the thieves' days are numbered.
"I just hope they catch whoever did it."
Parker police say they have no suspect descriptions. Right now, they can't tie these latest crimes to other break-ins over the summer. Some residents described seeing two white males leaving a crime scene in a white Subaru.
Anyone with any information regarding the crimes is asked to call the Parker Police Department at (303) 841-9800 or the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at (303) 841-9800.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.