GLADSTONE, Mo. —A Gladstone man's home security system captured thieves trying to steal his car during an incident that lasted about 90 seconds.
The crime occurred around noon on Monday at the man’s home on Northeast 76th Terrace.
Ryan Fitzpatrick told 41 Action News that he sensed something suspicious was happening at his home when the security system, which he got as a gift this past Christmas, was triggered in the driveway and sent him a notification.
“I got an alert on my phone. I looked at it and it said activity in the driveway,” he explained. “I came straight home and the cops were already here when I got here."
The video, which Fitzpatrick posted to the Stolen KC Facebook page and has been shared over 7,500 times, shows the incident in its entirety.
A black pickup truck pulls up to the driveway before a suspect wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans with a bandana around his face gets out.
The suspect then uses tools to break into the car in less than 10 seconds.
“It was awful. I definitely felt violated. Nobody wants this to happen,” Fitzpatrick explained. “You work hard for what you have. To see somebody take that away from you is not cool. It's not okay."
Around 90 seconds after arriving, the suspects are scared off after Fitzpatrick’s dog runs over in the backyard and barks at them.
Fitzpatrick believed that his neighbor’s garage door opening at the time of the crime also helped scare off the thieves.
“If you look at the video, you can see that they backed up to almost block the view (of the neighbor),” he explained. “She (the neighbor) kept the garage door open and was staring at them."
Moments later, the suspects drove off.
The thieves left behind the tools used in the crime, which officers gathered during their investigation.
As of Monday night, police were still searching for the black pickup truck and two thieves.
Moving forward, Fitzpatrick planned to buy more security cameras for his property.
He hoped justice would come soon in the case.
“I hope they get them,” Fitzpatrick said. “I feel violated."
