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Lock it or lose it, masked men checking car handles in Midland

Surveillance video from a home near Manor Street and Douglas Avenue shows a guy with the mask trying to take the spotlight around 2:48 a.m. on Friday.

MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - Imagine you're laying in bed, looking over any video that may have been uploaded from your surveillance camera in your front yard and you find something scary. A man in a mask, waving directly into the camera while his friends are attempting to break into your vehicle.

That is what happened for the Stoepel family, who live near the 3700 block of Douglas Street. They said the doors to their vehicles were locked and nothing was stolen, but this isn't the first time something like this has happened. They said the last time was what caused them to install the camera.

"We've had two vehicular break-ins," said Launi Stoepel. "Both times they stole something. They didn't break our windows or anything, it appeared they just jimmied the locks. The first time they stole my wallet, the second time they stole some cash from his truck."

Her husband Tait Stoepel said back home in the small town they are from, something like this would have already been taken care of and it disappoints them that it feels like no one cares.

"We're from a small town, a south Texas town and you can leave your trucks unlocked," said Stoepel. "Your windows down, your doors unlocked, open, windows open. You could have left your purse on the seat of your vehicle with the windows down. It would've been there in the morning undisturbed."


The Midland Police shared the video of the incident on Facebook, letting residents know to "lock it or lose it."

The Stoepel's shared the video with neighbors who were in shock and said their neighborhood isn't usually the one with these sort of crimes. However, News West 9 spoke with one neighbor who said his truck had been broken into and though his knives were stolen, his gun was left untouched.

If you have any information regarding suspicious activity, call the Midland Police Department at (432) 6-8-5 7-1-0-8.

Click here to see video.

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