Investigators link string of car burglaries in Stillwater, Mannford, Yale

Police in three different towns are trying to find the person who stole from several vehicles at school pick-up lines and ballparks.

Investigators think the same person hit all of those towns in a matter of hours.

The coach of the Mannford baseball team, Brandon Miller, says it's scary knowing someone was breaking into cars so close to kids and their families.

Police say they are working together to find the person responsible.

Officers in Stillwater and Mannford are looking for a truck after a string of car burglaries. Police say the thief stole items through unlocked doors and by breaking car windows in Stillwater, Yale and Mannford.

Four cars were targeted during a baseball practice in Mannford.

"I feel like we were in the middle of calling our kids in and getting them ready for the next drill, if it would've been something where they were doing a drill in the outfield, we would've probably been right there by it," said Miller.

He says police were called after several families found smashed windows and missing items.

"A couple of the cars had purses that were taken, the windows that were broke were right where those things were at, another vehicle had a cellphone that was taken," he said.

Miller says the phone was found dumped less than a mile away.

Investigators think the same person hit all three communities just hours apart.    

"Daylight, people around, lots of people around all three places, so yeah, it's pretty bold," said Mannford Police Chief Jerry Ridley.

He says this is a reminder to everyone to lock doors and stop leaving valuables in cars.

"You used to would think this is only going to happen at 2 o'clock in the morning, but that's not the case anymore," he said.

With temperatures getting warmer, Ridley says more and more people will be out. That includes thieves looking for a crime of opportunity. Police say purses, phones and electronics are the most common items stolen in this series of burglaries.

At least two of those phones were recovered away from where the break-ins happened. 

Anyone who recognizes the truck should call Stillwater or Mannford Police.