NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – New Orleans Police needs your help identifying suspects in a string of vehicle burglaries. So far more than five victims have filed theft reports in Gentilly, and detectives believe there are more victims.
WGNO News Reporter Darian Trotter shows us the video of the suspects wearing ski masks and waving handguns.
“It’s unbelievable. You just don’t expect it in this neighborhood,” Bancroft Neighbor Association President Pam Larter said.
People in this Gentilly neighborhood are taking inventory of their stuff; after New Orleans police say a group of thieves swooped in and stole property from parked cars, trucks, and vans.
It happened late night January 6th outside several homes along Bancroft Drive.
“They were totally covered. They had hoodies on and ski masks.”
Police say at least four homeowners have filed auto burglary reports.
Bancroft Neighborhood Association President Pam Larter believes there are more victims who’ve not yet come forward about valuables stolen from their vehicles.
“Money, keys, iPhones, wallets.”
A network of more than 25 Project NOLA security cameras is mounted throughout the neighborhood.
Video shows the men police describe as suspects.
One is seen getting out of a white SUV with a handgun. He enters the victim’s unlocked vehicle, allegedly stealing property before leaving with the driver of the white SUV.
“They went through my registration. I believe they were looking for like a valet key.”
Neighbors say the men calmly walked the neighborhood and checked for unlocked doors; all the while wearing ski masks and waving handguns.
“This is something they’ve been doing for years. They come in the neighborhood and start pulling door handles, but this way of doing it with three cars walking the street with a gun in their hands and the masks, maybe they were looking for someone to come out and do more harm.”
NOPD detectives are in the process of reviewing video footage from Project NOLA cameras mounted in the area.
They hope to learn more about the suspects and the vehicles they were in.