Cobb County car break-ins

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Cobb County Police are searching for at least one, maybe two separate groups of thieves breaking into cars in several neighborhoods.

In one neighborhood near Marietta, surveillance video captured the group going from car to car checking for unlocked vehicles.

Brian Foster has his car broken into, and he said he was shocked to see the security footage.

"The guys are just so casually just walking down the street," Foster said. "They weren’t really in a rush; didn't look like they were even looking around."

The video shows the group getting into an SUV and searching the entire car. Cobb County Police said they stole laptops, cell phones, driver's licenses, and in one instance, a gun was stolen.

Luckily for Brian Foster, nothing of value was taken.

"Somebody had gone through the glove compartment," he said. "Just raked it all out into the seat. Fortunately, we didn't have anything really valuable, so we were one of the lucky ones in the neighborhood."

Police said in most of these break-in cases, the cars were left unlocked. Police said handguns are often the target.

"Handguns is a big one," said Sgt. Wayne Delk of the Cobb County Police Department. "For whatever reason, people tend to leave their handguns in their vehicles. That's the worst place to leave them because that's what thieves are actually looking for."

Cobb County Police said car break-ins are the only crime in the area on the rise. The best way to protect yourself: lock your car.

Police also said having security cameras, parking in your garage, and taking your valuables inside are also easy ways to stop thieves.