JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There's a neighborhood crime alert for the Settlers Landing area on Jacksonville's Westside, where there was a rash of vehicle burglaries overnight.
Several people who live on Invermere Boulevard said their cars were rummaged through early Thursday morning, and one resident's surveillance camera caught the thieves in action.
Residents told News4Jax on Thursday that, for the most part, their neighborhood is very nice and quiet. But now that school is out for the summer, neighbors said, they're not surprised by the increase in thieves looking for a five-finger discount and using those fingers to pull on cars' door handles.
"I had a strange violation feeling when it happened. I know it might sound unusual to some people, but that was my first initial feeling was a slight violation," Tammi Zimel said.
Zimel was one of many residents whose cars were broken into in the Westside neighborhood. One of Zimel's neighbors sent News4Jax surveillance video capturing the car burglars.
The video appears to show teenagers going up to a dark-colored pickup truck and trying the door handle to no avail. But Zimel said they were successful when they tried her car.
UNCUT: Surveillance video captures car burglars
"When I came out, the door was open. The glove compartment was open. The paperwork from my glove compartment was tossed all over my front seat, along with phone wires and stuff," Zimel said.
Unfortunately, like her other neighbors who News4Jax met, she forgot to lock her car. But Zimel said she's glad they didn't get away with anything.
"It's not worth it. A couple dollars is not worth a record for the rest of your life. It does not go away," she said. "It just surprised me that people would risk that."
Neighbors also told News4Jax that car break-ins also occurred earlier in the week as well, and they will remain vigilant.