Local

Burglars target Bellevue neighborhood

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Detectives with the Bellevue Police Department are investigating several burglaries in Bellevue’s Newport neighborhood. A burglar was captured on surveillance video going through one of the victim’s cars.

In the video, you can see a man with a flashlight scour a car for more than three minutes. It’s clear he’s taking his time.

Two cars were broken into around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, police said. The two burglars also broke a window and entered a garage on 113th Place. Investigators say they ransacked the garage and stole as many valuable items as possible before driving off with the car in the garage.

The 2005 Lexus with the license plate, “LEXYLDY” belonged to Bruce Lines, who has lived in the neighborhood for 33 years.

“They had a game plan before they showed up in the neighborhood,” he said, “They knew exactly what they wanted and they got it. What an opportunity to open the car and start throwing stuff in it.”

According to investigators, the suspects arrived in a stolen truck and left it behind in order to steal another car. It happened twice in Bellevue Saturday morning.

“It’s an unusual night,” Officer Seth Tyler with the Bellevue Police Department says, “We’re fortunate that we do have some evidence that the suspect left behind.”

The number of car thefts have remained consistent in the city of Bellevue in the past year, Tyler said.

After experiencing a spike in car prowls earlier this year, the department dedicated a task force to combat the problem. So far, prowls are down by 8 percent.