The purse vanished, but concerns quickly turned to their home.
Tori Witherspoon and her 4-year-old son were out for a good time at the park. They met some friends at the small park in the Witherspoons’ Moss Farm neighborhood. The weather was nice, and it made for a pleasant afternoon in the sunshine.
The park is less than a mile from their house, and as she parked the car, Witherspoon remembers seeing a couple men parked in a grayish SUV behind hers. Not thinking anything of it, her husband David Witherspoon says, she and her son got out and enjoyed their time together. When she returned to her car just an hour later, the window was smashed and her purse was gone.
“They broke the window, grabbed the purse, and they were gone,” David Witherspoon says. “She hid it under the seat, but she thinks she may have accidentally left the handles sticking out. They probably saw that. It must have been the same two people. It was very abnormal.
“Within an hour, they had already made about $400 in credit card charges. I immediately called and cancelled all our credit cards.”
The Witherspoons then had another concern — the possible burglary of their home. Just after the theft, a friend driving by their home called Tori to inform her that two men were parked outside her home. They were in a similar vehicle as the men she suspected had broken into her car.
“They had been scoping out our house,” David Witherspoon says.
Fortunately, the Witherspoons did not become the victims of a home burglary, but are definitely concerned and staying alert.
“We have a burglar alarm, and we’re just staying extra cautious,” David Witherspoon says.
Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says the Witherspoons acted correctly in quickly alerting police.
“Always use the ‘Lock, Take, and Hide’ motto when it comes to vehicles. But if you do happen to get your purse or wallet stolen, call 911 immediately to report the offense, and call to cancel all credit cards and bank cards,” he says. “The sooner you act in regards to the theft, the better of a chance of catching the perpetrators.”
Jones offers some advice for those in similar situations concerned about a possible follow-up home break-in.
“If keys were taken, for example, change the locks as soon as possible. Notify neighbors in regard to the offense, and keep a look out for suspicious people or behavior in the area and call 911 immediately if observed.”
The Witherspoons plan to stay alert — watching for anything out of the ordinary in their own neighborhood.
