A team of thieves hit nearly two dozen homes on both sides of Interstate 17 in the early morning hours of Wednesday, October 18, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
A pair caught was caught on a home's surveillance camera checking for open cars in driveways.
"When I opened the door, everything was splattered all over the floor and everywhere else, they even went through my trunk," said Larry Gutierrez, who lives in the neighborhood.
"[I] opened my garage, looked out my driveway, and my daughter's car had two doors open and the trunk open and I realized 'something's going on,'" said Gale Walker, who was also victimized.
Along with the cars, authorities believe the suspected thieves broke into a home using a garage door opener found in a car.
A neighbor who knows the family whose home was entered described how they are feeling.
"They're frazzled. [The mother] woke up up to noise in her kitchen, thinking it was her boys up. [The suspects] saw her and they ran right out the garage and into the street."
MCSO says a deputy in the area spotted the suspects as they ran from the home and tried to stop them, but they got away.
"When I got in this morning and I looked at the board and saw all the incidents that my people were working, it was something that was alarming," said Captain Cory Morrison with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives have been able to gather fingerprints and some surveillance video.
MCSO is asking anyone who was ransacked to report it. They'd also like to hear from anyone who owns surveillance cameras in the area.
"Maybe there's other homes what have surveillance and they can look and see if there were people walking around and checking car doors in their neighborhood," said Captain Morrison.
"It makes you feel violated, especially when you find out your neighbors have been broken into," said Walker.
