Cary car break-ins net guns, cash, credit cards from mostly unlocked vehicles; 1 car stolen

At least 10 vehicles were burglarized and one was stolen early Sunday morning in Cary, and police are seeking additional security footage of the incidents, police said.

Items taken from the vehicles include two handguns, purses, money, debit and credit cards. In most instances, the vehicles were not locked, according to a department release.

According to the release from Deputy Chief Scott Naydenoff, the burglaries were reported beginning about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, when a resident on the 300 block of Oriole Trail told officers that an incident was caught on home security cameras at 4:48 a.m. Someone had attempted to open a vehicle’s doors while it was parked in the driveway.

Police were then alerted to additional break-ins, stretching from First Street to Silver Lake Road and from Three Oaks Road to Park Avenue. Not all of the vehicles were unlocked. In one case, the offender used a flashlight to look into a car, saw an item of value and broke the window to gain access, according to the release.

The stolen vehicle was discovered when police in a neighboring town reported an abandoned vehicle that was traced back to Cary. The resident was unaware that the vehicle was missing when contacted by police. Once that car was taken, police believe it was used by the offenders before they abandoned it. Another vehicle, believed stolen from another neighboring town, was likely used by the offenders as well, police said.

As many as five offenders are believed to have taken part in the burglaries.

One of the debit cards stolen in Cary was reported in Chicago, where there was an attempt to use it at a gas station on Fullerton Avenue, police said. The suspects were described as young adult or juvenile males. At least one of the suspects did not have his face covered in home surveillance videos. No arrests have been made. Cary police ask residents to check their doorbell and other security cameras for footage from early Sunday morning. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Cary Police Department Investigations Section at 847-639-2341.

Police also reminded residents to call 911 to report suspicious activity, to lock their vehicles and to keep valuables out of plain sight.