Home security systems catch car crooks in action in Shawnee

SHAWNEE, Kan. An investigator with the Shawnee Police Department says most people think their car is safe in the driveway and leave it unlocked. But 75 percent of recent auto burglaries in Shawnee happened because vehicles were unlocked.

Sandra Arneson says her home security system captured a woman checking her husbands locked vehicle and then opening her jeep and taking a loaded gun, a Garmin navigation system and two expensive stethoscopes.

The incident happened early Saturday morning.

This is a pretty safe neighborhood, pretty nice neighborhood, Arneson said. You dont expect it to happen here.

Arneson didnt want to show her face, but says she has to face the fact that she left her car unlocked and now her gun could end up hurting someone.

You feel like your house ought to be a safe place to be, she said. I usually always lock my doors and was distracted and forgot this time, so they were able to take advantage of that.

Todd Zars assumes the same woman took his checkbook out of his unlocked work van that was sitting in his driveway across the street from Arnesons house. Now he says hes dealing with a banking nightmare.

If I cancel right now then the two outstanding checks that I have are obviously going to get returned, Zars said.

If he doesnt, he fears the crooks will clean out his account.

Andre Dory also has a home security system and caught a woman and a man checking his wifes car and his van to see if it was open. Luckily it was not, but he says the pair took a cooler he had in his driveway.

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Home security systems catch car crooks in action in Shawnee