http://www.wftv.com/news/4487679/detail.html
http://www.wftv.com/news/4487679/detail.html
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Deputies Ask For Public's Help To Stop Car Burglary Spree
POSTED: 5:21 pm EDT May 13, 2005
OVIEDO, Fla. -- Seminole County deputies are asking for the public's help after thieves burglarized more than a dozen cars in church parking lots. Detectives say the thieves are targeting cars up and down State Road 426.
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The smash and grabs are happening in parking lots. Detectives say the burglars wait until the parking lot is clear of people and that's when they hit their target.
"The whole interior was just broken into; glass was everywhere," commented Sabrina Pittman.
Pittman says her car was in disarray when she walked out of church. Pittman was in service for about an hour, and when she was ready to go home, she realized someone had broken into her car.
The burglars took her purse, cell phone, money and credit cards. Once Pittman notified authorities, she realized she was one of half a dozen smash and grabs that night.
Detectives say the burglars broke into two cars at the Lutheran church and then ended up breaking into cars at the Jehovah's Witnesses church.
Gloria Jorgueras' car was also damaged, but luckily the thieves took off with a bag that wasn't worth much. But still she has to spend a couple of hundred dollars to get her window fixed.
"It's a big disappointment. It's a big problem to fix the window and insurance," Jorgueras said.
Detectives say the thieves are targeting churches along SR-426. They don't have any leads, because there aren't too many witnesses. Most of the time, people are inside during service. So, until deputies find the burglars, Pittman says she just plans to stay on guard and take her purse inside when she gets out of her car.
Church members say they plan to have people monitor the cars every 15 minutes during service. There are also plans to install security cameras in the parking lots.