Thieves Break Into Homes As Children Are Returning From School Near Verdigris

Thousands of dollars worth of personal property and at least two guns are missing after several weekend break-ins in the Verdigris area.

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office says it is very concerning that these crimes happened during the day when many kids were getting home from school.

One neighbor says a young girl saw the thieves leaving her home as she got off the bus.

The Sheriff’s Office says they believe the vehicle driven by the thieves in at least two different break-ins was caught on camera.  Video shows a mid-2000s Mercedes Benz driving down a Verdigris road and, just minutes later, leaving quickly.

“I don’t think it’s every day that we see a black, clean mid-2000s Mercedes doing home burglaries,” said Sheriff Scott Walton.

One of those crimes happened next door to Karen Wolf, whose cameras captured that car coming and then leaving, driving right past children getting off of a school bus.  Another house was then broken into.

She says that, although her next door neighbors weren’t home, their young child had just gotten off of the school bus when she noticed unfamiliar people walking out of house, so she stayed back away from them.

“She was very smart.  She saw the guys leaving her house and didn’t go home,” said Wolf.

“Kids are getting off the school bus and here’s two guys out hitting housing in the middle of the afternoon,” said Walton.

Wolf says her neighborhood is usually quiet and very safe, so these crimes are surreal.

Law enforcement is working to find the thieves and the stolen property.

“If you see suspicious activity, that’s what 911 is for, to stop a crime, save a life,” said Walton.

Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office or other area police departments.