It was just a regular checkup at the doctor’s office, during daylight hours no less. But afterward, when Dennis Redfearn walked outside to his 2000 Camaro, he realized it had been burglarized.
The thief made off with some of Redfearn’s prized possessions, including a 1962 Gibson guitar, a 1938 S42 Luger 9-millimeter pistol and a baseball bat Redfearn considered “priceless.”
“That baseball bat was signed by 54 baseball hall of famers, and I’ve had it for many years,” Redfearn says.
Redfearn says that he “knew something was wrong immediately because my stuff was missing.”
“I have a convertible and both doors were locked, but the windows were cracked open about two inches. When I walked back to the car, I noticed the windows were lowered to about four inches,” Redfearn says.
The thief apparently had used his hands to push the window down a little further so he could unlock the door. Luckily, the car wasn’t damaged. However, the value of Redfearn’s stolen property totaled $18,500, and that’s money he may never see again.
“My insurance company just went bankrupt, so I don’t know if my stuff will ever be recovered,” Redfearn says.
Redfearn admits that it was a mistake to leave his valuables in public view.
“Once I saw my car, I didn’t even touch it. I simply went back inside the doctor’s office and called the police for possible fingerprints,” Redfearn says.
The detective told him that car break-ins are a major crime trend right now. But Redfearn was surprised to learn that he had to file his police report over the phone.
“A lot of times when we go and do a burglary motor vehicle offense, they want somebody to come and take prints,” says Officer Terry Smith of the North Dallas patrol division. “Well, there’s not going to be any prints because in most cases the person literally broke the window, grabbed what was in the car and left. They never touched the car.”
In Redfearn’s case, Smith says, “there are pretty good odds that they’re going to have gloves on. They either use gloves or go back over it and smear over it to get all the fingerprints off.”
When it comes to car burglaries, Smith says that the goal for most criminals is to be in and out fast.
Redfearn says he is, of course, upset, but that there is nothing he can do about the situation.
“I have more problems to worry about, like my health,” Redfearn says, explaining that he makes constant visits to the doctor because of his old age. “I’m upset about it, but it’s not like losing a family member – it can be replaced. You win some and you lose some, and sometimes you don’t even score.”
Smith believes that there are ways for criminals to score at the expense of the victim.
“A lot of people think since they have a car alarm and their doors are locked, they can leave all their valuables out in plain sight in a vehicle, and you just can’t do that,” Smith explains. “You either need to take your valuables in with you, or put them in a trunk. Or if you’re going to have to make a stop on the way home, just don’t. Go home, drop off your valuables, and then make the stop. People will break into cars just to see what is in a duffel bag.”
