VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – A bold thief has a Virginia Beach neighborhood double-checking their locks.
Someone attempted to break into homes while the homeowners were there and in one case, the person got inside.
The suspect, or suspects, targeted Southgate neighborhood off Nimmo Parkway.
The timing of the break-ins has people on edge: The incidents happened Friday morning between 5 and 8 a.m. just as people were starting their day.
10 On Your Side spoke with a homeowner who didn’t want to show his face but said his sense of security was shattered.
“Terrifying — that’s your sanctuary,” he said.
The homeowner was at work and his wife was asleep upstairs when she woke to the sound of someone walking inside their home off Shade Tree Street.
“They got inside the kitchen of the house and my wife heard something upstairs and as soon as they heard her get up and come down the steps, then they must’ve taken off and ran out,” he said.
The homeowner said the person got in through the side garage door that was left unlocked after taking the trash out the day before.
Whoever it was left something behind.
“We found some personal items that they had apparently left and we found three bottles of beer,” he said.
The homeowner had some surveillance cameras around the home, but he installed another by the side door following the incident.
“It is really concerning that they managed to get inside someone’s house,” said resident Aaron Speca.
Someone also targeted Speca’s home off Wheatstone Court. His son was awake when he heard an intruder trying to get in from the garage.
“The pounding was very loud and very, like, intense,” Nicholas Speca said. “It was terrifying but I was also trying to rationalize like ‘I must be making this up.’”
The burglar left, but not before stealing a bike and drinking a beer.
“Your first thought is some kids doing something stupid, especially since there was a beer taken, but it seemed a little bit more serious once I realized he had actually tried to get in the house,” Aaron said.
Aaron said despite what happened, the neighborhood still feels safe, but he’s stepping up security anyway.
“I hate to think what would’ve happened if the door wasn’t locked that particular night,” he said.
People WAVY News spoke with off camera said other neighbors had vehicles rummaged through.
We’re also told another neighbor crossed paths with a male, possibly a suspect, and chased after him.
He got away but was caught on home surveillance.
If you have any information, call the Virginia Beach Police Department or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Note: The reporter referenced Shade Tree Street as Shade Tree Court in the story on-air. WAVY-TV 10 regrets the error.
