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Thieves Target Preschools and Daycares In Cedar Park

Some preschools and daycares in the Cedar Park area have been informed to be on the lookout for thieves waiting to snatch up everything they can from vehicles.

For Cedar Park resident, Dawn Bright, it started out as a normal day. Bright visited her daughter’s preschool to drop off medicine, but in ten minutes her life took a turn. From her parked car, in front of the school, thieves stole Bright’s identity along with her purse and laptop.

"I was 9 months pregnant when it happened,” Bright said. “They watched me climb out of the car, as big as I was, waddling to the school.”

Bright asked to keep the name of the school anonymous. In broad daylight, the crooks vanished unnoticed.

“It would be very hard not to see someone running to a car and running away from a car,” Bright said.

Detective Bobby Bowers said this type of theft happens too often. Thieves target places where there are routines such as drop-off and pick-up times. Fitness centers and parks are also highly targeted areas. Police say it only takes seconds to break into a car.

Detective Bowers said to never leave anything in plain sight and to always have your valuables in the trunk before you arrive at a place where you will be leaving your car unattended.

“Moms are easy targets for these crooks,” Bowers said. “Sometimes [moms] don't lock the door, but that doesn't make any difference to the criminal because he's going to smash out the window. A lot of times criminals are waiting in the parking lot for their target.”

Bright said she learned to stow away her valuables the hard way. She said the most important thing is the safety of her children.

“It defiantly changed the way we handle ourselves,” Bright said. “I can't even describe how bothersome it is.”