Louisville Resident Warns Neighbors After Thieves Smash Car Windows and Steal Vehicle from Garage

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY — A resident in east Louisville is warning her neighbors to stay alert after a string of overnight car break-ins led to her vehicle being stolen straight from her garage while her family was home asleep.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, said the terrifying incident happened around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, when she heard her garage doors suddenly open. Moments later, she realized thieves had used her own garage door opener, stolen from her car, to get inside.

“My car was locked. They smashed the window, used the garage door opener to open the garages, and stole a car that was in the garage — all while I was home and heard it,” she said.

Family Left Shaken After Overnight Theft

The woman said her first instinct wasn’t about the stolen car — it was her children’s safety.

“At that point, I didn’t care about the cars or anything that was in the garages. I was more concerned about my kids,” she told WDRB.

She believes the suspects — possibly a group of three to five people — had already hit several other cars in her neighborhood before targeting her home.

Citywide Pattern of Vehicle Crimes

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) has been investigating a citywide surge in car break-ins and thefts, some involving armed suspects.

In October, LMPD warned residents about groups targeting both homes and parked vehicles across multiple areas, including southwest and east Louisville.

“The car thefts are obviously a citywide problem that’s been going on for a while now. There are multiple crews doing it,” said LMPD Sgt. Joe Keeling, noting that police don’t believe it’s the work of one single group.

Residents Urged to Stay Vigilant

The victim said she’s filed a police report but feels that residents must also take steps to protect themselves.

“These criminals are always a step ahead of the police,” she said. “No matter how many cops we have, we can only control what’s in our power — and that means not giving them the bait.”

Police are still investigating the recent spree of break-ins and have not yet confirmed if this incident is connected to other thefts reported in the area.

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