JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Residents in two Northside Jacksonville neighborhoods are on alert after surveillance cameras caught people on camera pulling on door handles and rummaging through vehicles.
A man who lives in the Chandlers Crossing neighborhood said his home surveillance system caught someone pointing what appeared to be a gun at a camera.
"I noticed about 3:30 this (Monday) morning two individuals were going around the neighborhood checking door handles," said the man, who asked to remain anonymous. "To me, they look like kids."
The man said his vehicle was rummaged through, but nothing was taken.
"They're trying to intimidate the homeowner and let them know that, 'We know that we're on video. We're masked, but here's a gun to show you if you come out, you might come out to something like this,'" said News4Jax crime and safety analyst Ken Jefferson.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office posted the video to its Twitter page, reminding residents to lock their doors at nighttime.
🔺This is why you need to do the #9PMRoutine.
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) June 25, 2019
🔺To protect yourself from masked, armed bad guys like this.
🔺They must have got lucky last night getting a gun taunting the camera. If you know who this is, we would love to know.#BeepBeep
904-630-0500
JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org pic.twitter.com/7xGjo6X7kA
A second video taken around the same time frame appears to show two people sifting through a truck in the Eagles Hammock neighborhood, which is about 2 miles away from Chandlers Crossing. It's unclear if the incidents are related.
"I hope they're caught," the homeowner said. "People live here with their kids."
Jefferson said the videos are an important reminder to lock up and take valuable items out of cars.
The Sheriff's Office asked anyone who has information that could help in its investigation to contact police at 904-630-0500 or send an email to JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org.