ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – There's a neighborhood crime alert for people living on Anastasia Island, where police are investigating five car break-ins that happened in less than 24 hours.
According to the St. Augustine Beach Police Department, thieves ransacked multiple vehicles on High Tide Drive, Overdale Road and Sun Down Circle early Tuesday morning.
In one of the incidents, deputies said, the car burglars took hundreds of dollars stashed in Jan Thomas' vehicle.
"(I'm) probably only angry at myself because I didn't take the time to put the car in the garage or to make sure the doors were locked," Thomas said.
Thomas on Wednesday told News4Jax that she moved to Anastasia Island about a year ago to open a real estate brokerage, and she's never had a problem until now.
"I got up and went to the car about 10:30 a.m. and found everything all over the car seat and in the floorboard, and I knew immediately what was gone because I always keep a stash of emergency funds in the car -- $100 bills," she said.
Thomas, who moved to the area from Washington, D.C., said that ever since the 9/11 attacks, she's kept an escape fund of $200-$300 in her car just in case she had to get out of town fast. She said recently thought about removing the cash, but from now on she will be more cautious.
"I think I will keep the escape fund near my car -- in my purse, in the garage somewhere -- but not in the car," Thomas said. "My car's doors are locked. I hope I remember every time."
In each of the five police reports, officers noted the cars were not locked.
Police reminded people to always lock their car doors, which helps stop crooks.