“They’re taking anywhere from cash, to GPS units, to Christmas presents,” he said.
About $350 worth of Christmas presents were taken from Amber Lattimore’s trunk. The gifts were purchased for her two-year-old daughter and several other family members, she said.
“You can just see in the video how effortlessly they did everything,” Lattimore said. “It was just so easy for them and they were even taking their time in cars.”
She doesn’t believe she’ll be able to replace the gifts.
“I have to work myself up to be able to actually go Christmas shopping again…,” Lattimore said. “Now I pretty much start all over.”
The incident has taught her an important lesson though, she said.
“We take everything in. It doesn’t matter what it is,” she said. “I wouldn’t even leave a lunchbox that appears to be a purse in your car.”
Melchi said everyone should lock their car doors no matter where they live.
“I would not recommend leaving cars unlocked anywhere at this point,” he said. “The criminals pray on this kind of thing. It’s an easy target.”
And all valuables should also be removed from vehicles, he said.
“The best thing you can do is take your personal belongings, your purses, your credit cards,” he said.
Lattimore is hopeful the suspects will be found and charged.
“We definitely thought this was one of the safer areas of Springfield,” she said. “And these people hit every single car that they could.”
Investigators need help identifying the thieves, Melchi said. Anyone with information on the thefts can call the Clark County Sheriff’s Office at 937-521-2050.
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