Thieves stealing high-dollar items from vehicles in Paulding County

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - Paulding County sheriff’s investigators are trying to track down a couple of thieves. Investigators say they were stealing high-dollar items from vehicles in the Seven Hills community Monday morning.

"Someone had gotten into my truck, didn’t take anything but messed everything up inside," said Murl McCoy.

McCoy was just one of dozens of people who woke up Monday morning to find their cars had been rummaged through.

"They didn’t hit just one neighborhood, they hit multiple neighborhoods in the Seven Hills community," said Sgt. Ashley Henson.

Investigators say thieves were going from car to car looking for guns and valuable items.

JT Dabbs was leaving for work when he heard what was happening, and saw them just down the street from his house.

"I drove down there and caught them breaking into cars, and they ran between two houses," said Dabbs.

Sheriff’s officials say if the thieves discovered they snatched something they didn’t want they’d toss it in a trash can as they made their way down the street.

Sara Brock says that’s what they did when they swiped the fanny pack from her car.

"They opened it up, looked for cash or something, and then they put the key fob in one trash and put the fanny pack in another one," said Brock.

Investigators set up a perimeter. They had deputies, dogs, and drones.

Around 8 a.m. Monday morning, deputies spotted the two men, dressed in black, wearing masks, but they managed to run off into the woods before deputies could capture them.

Sheriff’s officials say they recovered a lot of the stolen property, including a gun.

Investigators say almost all of the vehicles that were broken into were unlocked. They remind everyone, no matter where you live, to take all valuables out of your vehicles and make sure they are locked.