May 19, 2013
A Local 8 Weather Alert has been issued for today. Because of the threat of rain, thunder and even hail, outdoor activities may be disrupted or inconvenienced. What's going on? An upper-level low will be moving across East Tennessee today, creating a more unstable atmosphere.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT)--Broken doors, missing stuff and a shattered sense of security after burglars hit several homes in South Knoxville. They told me it's about more than just belongings. They've been violated.
Now police vow to catch the ones who did this. A broken door frame, belongings scattered on the floor and their home ransacked.
The alarm went off, but the thieves were already gone.
Burglary Victim Cassie Alsup says, "Everything was in disarray and my tv was gone. My jewelry was gone. My computer was gone."
Burglary Victim Emily Holt says, "It was weird to think someone was in my bedroom. I mean I have personal pictures in there of my family."
Police officers told them they're not the only ones ripped off in their neighborhood. Knoxville Police Deputy Chief Gary Holliday says, "There's criminals out there. We do our best to catch them and we're really good at it."
In June, police charged Michael John McBee with breaking into 7 homes in South Knox County and taking jewelry and electronics.
Even an alarm couldn't stop the crooks. Holt says, "Maybe there are other things we can do to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Deputy Chief Gary Holliday says, "Burglarize your own home. Walk around home see where you can get in."
Pay attention to windows. Are they locked? Do they have a security catch? Put in steel doors. Buy the best, longest, hardest dead bolt. Deputy Chief Holliday says, "They'll pick the weakest house. The one with bad doors and no dead bolts. You can drive by and see if it has dead bolts on it."
Look around your home. Is it lit well? Can someone hide? Have a neighborhood watch. Deputy Chief Holliday says, "Sooner or later we're going to catch these it's just a matter of time."
Maybe sooner, since Emily and Cassie jotted down the TV's serial number. You can go one step further. Etch your driver's license number in electronics. Police say when it comes to jewelry, you should always take pictures so to help them find the items if their stolen. It'll also help for insurance reasons.
