TULSA, Okla — 2 News has received tips from concerned residents regarding car burglaries in the city.
Ashley Grassam is one of those concerned citizens, saying her father's truck was burglarized earlier this month.
She hid her purse inside while they went out to eat, but burglars found it, stealing it and everything inside, including her birth certificate and credit cards.
She said she thinks TPD needs to do more to help stop the perpetrators.
“They've gotten to where they've gotten comfortable, and they know that TPD is either short-handed or they aren't being called out immediately," she said. "I've been told that 50 or 60 of these are happening a day.”
2 News reached out to the Tulsa Police Department's Burglary Unit.
According to Sergeant Ben Brandt, there have been 148 reported burglarized vehicles. In May of 2024, there were 166.
WATCH: Residents concerned over car burglaries in Tulsa
Brandt also said in 2024, there were a total of 1,980 vehicle burglaries, and so far, there are 729 reports for this year.
According to Sgt. Brandt, protocol calls for officers to be sent out to a burglary if immediate evidence is provided.
"If there's evidence or we have a suspect in the area, then yes, we'll definitely send a police officer out," he said. "If it's just the car was broken into, there's no evidence, really, and no video footage, just fill out an online report.”
Brandt said he checks the system daily for reports to connect people with the proper help.
“What I ask is in those online reports, that you be detailed," he said. "If there’s any camera footage or evidence, let us know and we’ll come out and collect it. Also, we can send you a link to upload the video, too.”
Grassam did send her online report in and now has a detective working on her case, who helped track down one of her credit cards.
“It sucks to have this done, and I don't want it happening to anybody else," she said. "The crime really hits home whenever it's done to you.”
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