‘People are afraid:’ Surveillance video captures daylight break-in at Tacoma business
Feb 24, 2024, 11:38 AM | Updated: 11:47 am
Surveillance videos captured a man breaking into a car and allegedly stealing cars in broad daylight in Tacoma. (Image courtesy of 成人X站 7)
(Image courtesy of 成人X站 7)
TACOMA, Wash. 鈥� Several Tacoma residents are frustrated after surveillance videos captured a man breaking into a car and allegedly stealing cars in broad daylight in Tacoma.
ONE-STOP DENTISTRY:
成人X站 7 News spoke Leah Alo who has been working at One Stop Dentistry for about eight years.
The business is located on 6th Avenue in Tacoma.
Alo showed surveillance video to 成人X站 7 News that captured a man peeking into people鈥檚 vehicles in their parking lot after he had arrived in a gray vehicle Wednesday at about 3 p.m.
Moments later, the video footage captures the man smashing a car window and stealing a bag.
“He could have been doing more than just breaking into a car,鈥� Alo said. 鈥淲hat if he approached your car and somebody鈥檚 in it?鈥�
“We have a coworker that doesn鈥檛 feel safe anymore,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd how do you make them feel safe?鈥�
成人X站 7 News spoke with Denise Quesenbery, a worker at One Stop Dentistry, who said she saw the aftermath of the break-in.
“My coworker鈥檚 window was broken out,鈥� she said.
The suspect stole her worker鈥檚 lunchbox, Quesenbery shared.
It was later found nearby the business.
“Everyone works hard for what they have,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd you feel violated.鈥�
And the business has seen other types of crimes over the years, including bullets ripping through its windows and a suspect(s) destroying security cameras.
Alo said security cameras alone are not enough to keep criminals away.
“They鈥檝e broken our cameras in the front of the building. We鈥檒l get them fixed, put them back up and they鈥檒l break them,鈥� said Alo. 鈥淚 feel like you should feel safe at your place of work.鈥�
Alo said her coworker recently filed a report with police about her damaged vehicle Friday. 成人X站 7 News contacted the Tacoma Police Department to get more details about this case. A spokesperson said they had no details as of Friday afternoon.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Dr. Mostafa Norooz, the owner of One Stop Dentistry, said, 鈥淭he feeling of invasion to your security, to your space to me is worse than anything.鈥�
He told 成人X站 7 News he has seen a series of crimes in the area that affected several nearby businesses.
“It affects the whole community,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ow many times we have to worry 鈥榦h, are they going to break into my car?鈥欌��
“How many times you have to think you should buy the next security measure to prevent the crime happens to us?鈥� he continued.
Norooz鈥檚 business is located just a couple blocks away from Tacoma General Hospital, a busy area on the north end of Tacoma.
“We鈥檙e all healthcare workers, and still we got to be worried about our health,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not good.鈥�
Norooz said many of his workers are often concerned for their safety, with many thinking, 鈥淭hat nagging voice behind your mind that I鈥檓 going to work, am I going to be okay?鈥�
“If you see something, say something,鈥� he stressed.
Security video captures the moment a man breaks into a vehicle and steals a bag in broad daylight in Tacoma. Several people also accuse him of stealing their vehicles. The business owner talks about a string of crimes impacting businesses in the area at 4:30 pm.
鈥� Louie Tran (@louie_tran)
ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES:
Workers at One Stop Dentistry told 成人X站 7 News the business installed additional safety measures and protocols to keep its customers and workers safe, including locked doors.
“Now everything is locked. You have to push a button,鈥� Alo said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 affected us big time.鈥�
For customers to get inside the business, they are required to push a button located on the outside of the building so an employee could allow them inside.
“We鈥檙e coming out of pocket when we鈥檙e trying to work, and make a living for ourselves and our families,鈥� Alo said. 鈥淎nd not everyone has the funds to fix stuff like this.鈥�
Workers now often ask each other if they have emptied their vehicles of any valuable possessions.
“We made sure we did our check-in and 鈥榙id everybody clean out their cars?鈥欌�� said Alo.
SUSPECT鈥橲 VEHICLE CAUGHT ON CAMERA ALLEGEDLY STOLEN:
成人X站 7 News spoke with Jovana Netelenbos, who said the suspect鈥檚 vehicle captured in One Stop Dentistry鈥檚 surveillance video, belongs to her family.
She shared a statement with us about the alleged incident:
Our car was stolen out of the parking lot at the hospital where my husband works as a health care worker. The thieves had stolen the car less than 5 minutes after my husband arrived at work – which makes you wonder if they were watching him. They had to notice he was in scrubs and worked at the hospital and wouldn鈥檛 be out anytime soon… it just adds to the creep factor when someone steals your property and invades your space. On top of this unfortunate event, the thieves used the car they stole to then go all around Tacoma to steal more cars. It鈥檚 frustrating for us as I鈥檓 sure for the others that have been affected by this group who are stealing cars. we just hope more work will be done by local authorities to get these car theft crimes under control. As of right now, our vehicle has not been recovered.
成人X站 7 News contacted the Tacoma Police Department to get more details about this case. We鈥檙e still waiting to hear back.
If you have seen this vehicle, you鈥檙e asked to call the Tacoma Police Department at (253) 287-4455.
SAME SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY STOLE FAMILY鈥橲 VAN:
成人X站 7 News also spoke with Michael Kearns, who said the man caught in One Stop Dentistry鈥檚 surveillance video, stole his family鈥檚 van Wednesday.
He said surveillance video at Life Christian Academy and Life Center Church in Tacoma captured the theft.
The family鈥檚 Kia Sedona included several personal items inside that cannot be replaced, including items that were passed down from generations, he shared.
The vehicle鈥檚 Washington license plate is BIP5789.
If you have seen this vehicle, you鈥檙e asked to call the Tacoma Police Department at (253) 287-4455.
STEPS TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY:
成人X站 7 News contacted the Tacoma Police Department to learn about the best practices to protect people鈥檚 property.
A spokesperson for the department shared several tips.
“The one thing I can say is that those who engage in criminal activity look for opportunities,鈥� wrote Detective William Muse. 鈥淭hey look at opportunities to take something of value; look at opportunities to commit criminal acts without witnesses; and look for opportunities to not get caught.鈥�
He also encouraged people to not leave any valuable items inside their vehicles, including laptops, tablets, personal bags, purses, wallets, cameras, boxes, shopping bags, etc.
This also includes items that may look valuable, he stressed.
“The gym bag in the backseat of the car the owner knows contains sweaty athletic clothes doesn鈥檛 seem theft-worthy, but the suspect does not know that,鈥� Muse wrote.
Muse also urged people to lock their vehicles and homes. He also recommended people to use anti-theft devices inside their vehicles to deter criminals.
“If a person is familiar with how a particular car is stolen but sees a Club on the steering wheel, you鈥檙e taking away those opportunities I told you about earlier,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 club means the end of the opportunity to commit a crime without getting seen or getting caught later because the work required to steal that car is not worth it.鈥�
“They are less expensive than full-on surveillance systems, but they do so much to eliminate opportunities,” he added.
