At least 7 cars broken into overnight in Point Breeze, Philadelphia police say
Lindsey Tifft was headed to her car around 6:45 a.m. Friday, when she noticed something was off.
"I actually thought somebody had dropped something close by and that was the glass," Tifft said.
That glass turned out to be from the front passenger window of her car, one of several hit overnight on Ellsworth Street near Chew Playground in Philadelphia's Point Breeze neighborhood, according to police.
"I'm a teacher. I was so excited to go in and see my students today," Tifft said. "And then having to use an emergency personal day is just the worst."
CBS News Philadelphia saw several people on the same block sweeping glass out of their cars or using cardboard or plastic bags to cover the damage left behind.
One of them was Drew Nixdorf, who says she learned her car had been broken into when a Philadelphia police detective called.
"I was pissed. I was just really angry and upset," Nixdorf said.
The damage wasn't limited to this one block, however. One man, who didn't want to be identified, said he parked his car about a block from his home near 19th and Wharton streets. He came out this morning to find a broken window.
"Glass on the ground and a bunch of papers and things shuffled in my car," he said.
Police said they had at least seven incidents involving vehicle thefts or vandalism within a few blocks overnight. They said the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
Tifft said detectives took fingerprints from her car Friday.
Everyone who spoke with CBS News Philadelphia on Friday said they've never had anything like this happen to them, especially on a scale like this. Strangely, though, many told us little to nothing was actually taken from their cars.
"I had a driver's door full of change. So yeah, he didn't take nothing," one man said.
"The only thing I really saw was mints and my Aldi quarter," Tifft said, referencing the quarter used to get a shopping cart at the grocery chain.
"I had some really nice car smelly things. He didn't even take them," Nixdorf said.
Aside from the inconvenience of it all, these neighbors tell us the incident will also likely hit their wallets.
"Just having to deal with deductibles and seeing what insurance will cover and they won't. So probably about $500," Tifft said.