TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police Officers are searching for a man who broke into a home the day after Christmas, while the family was away.
They said the burglary happened between 1 and 1:40 p.m. on Dec. 26. The house is located in Seminole Heights. The homeowner preferred we did not use her name. Officers said he stole more than $1,000 worth of items.
"You feel violated (that) someone (is) walking through your home," the homeowner said.
Two of her surveillance cameras captured the suspected crook, walking through her home, between the kitchen and living room.
"It's upsetting. (It) kind of ruins the holiday. I think it will be more upsetting for my son," she said.
The homeowner said the stranger used a rock to break a window to get inside.
"(It was) big enough to put his hand through and unlock the window and push it up," she said.
The homeowner noticed the suspected burglar used two of her socks as gloves.
"He knew to grab something and he wiped down the window," she said.
The homeowner told ABC Action News the crook did not steal any Christmas presents, but got away with a jewelry box, her son's piggy banks, and two computers.
"What kind of person steals from a 6-year-old and, you know, those pictures can't be replaced," she said.
She said one of the laptops contained all of her kids pictures.
"If he's caught, you're a horrible guy for stealing from children (and) taking things that are irreplaceable," she said.
Here is the surveillance video the TPD would like you to look at to help them identify the Seminole Heights burglary suspect:
If anyone has information about the case, they should call Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay.
