SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A homeowner in Clairemont hopes surveillance video is the key to tracking down the intruder who climbed straight through his window, before making off with some family heirlooms.
Just off Balboa Avenue around 1:30 p.m. Monday, a man is seen ringing the doorbell at the home of Jeff Howell.
After minutes of ringing and knocking, the man is recorded heading for the backyard, where he peers into the patio door and grabs a chair. He then pries open a locked window, steps onto the chair and into the home.
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"Just a sense of violation," said Howell.
The man is then seen on the phone, possibly with a lookout.
"You can hear him discussing 'it's safe now' or 'somebody just went by,'" said Howell.
Moments later, the man heads straight for the bedroom closet, dragging out a small safe, before carrying it out the front door.
By the time Howell saw his text alert, the intruder was gone. The man was in the home for about 15 minutes. Inside the safe: authentication documents for artwork and family heirlooms belonging to his 11-year-old son, including a silver spoon given to him at birth and something from his rodeo-competing great-grandfather, who has passed.
"He had a prize-winning, silver belt buckle. He wanted to give it to his grandson and now it's missing," said Howell.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
