KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffThieves break into at least 45 cars

Thieves break into at least 45 cars

Thieves break into at least 45 cars
By: Arnold Wyrick

Sesser, IL - It all started early Thursday morning shortly after 2:30 am, that's when a Sesser police officer saw two men rummaging through a parked car.

"The officer started to chase the two men and called for back up.  But they got away.  While canvassing the area though we did find some clear concise pieces of evidence that indicate they had used drop points," says Sesser Chief of Police Rob Barrett.

The thieves targeted unlocked cars in the Southern and Western parts of Sesser, stealing electronics, wallets, and anything else of value they could find.  Not even Chief Barrett could escape the robbers.

"They broke into my police car, in front of my house under a security light, and stole my laptop.  That's pretty brazen and bold to break into a police officers car," Chief Barrett said.

As of late Thursday afternoon more than 45 reports of car burglaries had been reported by residents.

"I came out to go get some milk this morning.  And I looked into my backseat and I was like something is not right here.  So I grabbed my laptop case and it just came straight up in my hand a few papers fell out and that was it.  So I lost my wallet and my laptop," says Dave Bates of Sesser.

Police did recover some evidence from the thieves that they left behind during the chase, a man's Levi jacket, a woman's handbag, a pair of leather sandals, and a .22 caliber revolver were found scattered on the ground near one of the victims home.

"Both of my truck doors were wide open and everything from the console and glove compartment were scattered all over inside the truck.  My husbands wallet was laying on the back of the truck, luckily I have the money.  He didn't have any money at the time," says Kristina Curtis of Sesser.

Now police are asking for your help in tracking down the thieves.  Anyone with any information is asked to call the Sesser Police Department at 1-618-625-2341.