Investigators Search For Thieves Who Broke Into Bartlesville Police Car

Bartlesville police hope people will call in tips to help lead them to thieves responsible for more than a dozen car burglaries.

The thieves even took guns and a bulletproof vest from a law enforcement vehicle.

Investigators said some time overnight last Friday, thieves broke into car after car in the 200 block of Southeast Quail Ridge Loop, on the East side of town near Sooner Park.

"It's everything from change to a handgun that was stolen from one vehicle," Crimestoppers Coordinator Sgt. David Hackler said.

They also burglarized two of Shannon McCraw's vehicles that same night in a nearby neighborhood.

"The glove box was opened and stuff was scattered,” McCraw said. “The ash trays, we keep change in them, were dumped, were empty."

The burglars mostly got what you'd expect, but they also broke into a law enforcement vehicle, taking a Smith and Wesson AR-15 with a collapsible stock, a wood stock Remington pump 12-gauge shotgun and a bulletproof vest.

"We're very concerned, that's our first priority is to try to get those back,” Hackler said. “The guys have been working on them non-stop ever since that happened, trying to figure out where they are and how to get them back."

Investigators will only say the equipment belongs to an agency in Washington County, but won't say which department. They hope to get leads through Bartlesville's Crimestoppers number, 918-336-CLUE.

"You never know who is going to get their hands on those and what they're going to do with them," Hackler said.

McCraw said she's fortunate nothing valuable was taken from her cars, and they weren't damaged.

But it's still frustrating.

"I hope they catch them," she said.

All callers to Bartlesville's Crimestoppers tipline remain anonymous and could earn a cash reward of up to $1,000.