Thieves target Alpharetta neighborhood: 16 vehicles broken into overnight

Car break-ins in Alpharetta

A series of car break-ins is under investigation in Alpharetta. It happened early Tuesday morning around Westside Parkway and Encore Parkway in Alpharetta.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - A series of car break-ins is under investigation in Alpharetta.

What they're saying:

Joshua Cody showed FOX 5 the shattered glass on the ground after someone broke into his pickup truck.

"My front window on my truck was broken, and my rear driver’s side door window had been shattered completely," Cody said. "I need a front window, a rear window, both driver’s side windows, and they broke the trim piece on the door."

What we know:

Alpharetta police say that late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, someone broke into 16 vehicles parked in front of homes and grabbed whatever they could: "small amounts of cash, checks, laptops," said Capt. Andrew Splawn with the Alpharetta Police Department.

Investigators say a criminal or criminals hit eight of those vehicles at one apartment complex. "They left my bookbag with a tablet and computer. They left my wallet and a bunch of cash," Cody said.

Cody says whoever broke in skipped over his valuables, except for one. "They left a bunch of my belongings that were worth money and only stole my gun," Cody said. "I think they targeted a big truck and figured there was a gun in it."

Alpharetta police say, in some cases, car owners left their belongings in plain sight. "Most of these crimes are going to be crimes of opportunity," Splawn said. "They were visible from the outside of the vehicle. The majority of the vehicles broken into were entered through unlocked doors and were searched by the offenders."

Cody says now he’s out thousands of dollars. "I got the quote today; it was like 3,600 dollars in damage," Cody said.

What we don't know:

There are no descriptions of the suspect or suspects so far.

Police urge you to lock your doors and hide your belongings so you don’t become a victim.