Dogtown resident shares security footage of armed thieves breaking into cars

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - A crime alert in St. Louis as thieves mill through the Dogtown and Clayton-Tamm areas and break into cars while being fully armed.

Sarah Morton has lived in the neighborhood for her entire life and said car break-ins are not out of the ordinary.

“We shouldn’t have to live in fear,” Morton said.

Morton said she leaves her car unlocked to avoid any more shattered windows.

“My car is not up for grabs,” Morton said. “This is my house. This is my car. My child, my husband, we live here. We just want to know we’re safe.”

Monday morning Morton checked her security camera footage and said what she saw, scared her.

“Some males got out of the car with guns with extended magazines,” Morton said. “They were openly carrying, and it was very concerning to me because I have no doubt that if somebody would have walked by, I don’t think they would have hesitated to shoot.”

Another neighbor, who asked to stay anonymous, said he moved to this area of the city to be safer.

“Hoping that we wouldn’t have to worry about these kinds of concerns,” he said. “A nice, beautiful little neighborhood, and to see it exists everywhere.”

He said break-ins have gotten more common over the last few years.

Signs are posted in the Dogtown neighborhood, encouraging people to keep valuables out of sight.

“I’ve made it so my vehicle doesn’t look like it’s a prized possession. If you look in my vehicle, make it clear that what I have isn’t worth stealing. It’s not a vehicle worth getting into. But it’s weird that I’m having to camouflage my vehicle so it’s safe.”

Morton thinks the thieves are looking in people’s cars specifically for guns.

She said it’s important to make everyone feel safer in St. Louis.

“Start making an arrest mean something again,” Morton said. “Put them in jail.”

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