Tulsa Woman Finds Window Shot Out In Busy Parking Lot

The search is on for vandals who shot out an SUV window in the middle of a busy parking lot.

The victim said it happened near 61st and Memorial in broad daylight; police said they aren’t surprised at the extreme measures thieves are taking.

The woman said she was inside a store and when she came out the driver's side window was shattered by a bullet.

We've all been warned about leaving purses and other valuables inside vehicles while out running errands, but most wouldn't anticipate a bullet flying through a window while inside a store.

"They are looking for an opportunity and they just do it. It could have just been some kids being stupid, or they wanted to play a prank or thought it was funny," said Demita Kindard with TPD.

The woman said she came out of TJ Maxx and tossed her purse and bags in her SUV, then, she grabbed her wallet to run back inside. When she returned, her window was shattered.

She said, fortunately, someone driving through the parking lot saw the shooter, who took off.

Kinard said, “Be it a BB gun or real firearm, it will still hurt and you can still hurt someone if you get hit."

She said the thieves might have wanted the woman's purse.

Often, police see cases of vehicle vandalism happen during the middle of the night.

"Not everyone is going to be a rocket scientist and think through their actions and say, ‘Oh if I do this in broad daylight, I'm going to have a greater chance of getting caught than if I do this under the dark of night,’” Kinard said.

She said sometimes criminals are only out to cause damage.

"People think it's funny – they’ll puncture tires, scrape paint and even pull emblems off the vehicle," Kinard said.

Police said it's important to get windows repaired immediately.

They've had cases where the criminal comes back after police and the vehicle owner have left to get whatever they were after in the first place.