Norman Police Cracking Down On Car Burglaries

Emily Wood, News 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Car burglaries are on the rise in Norman. But thanks to a quick-thinking victim and some old-fashioned police work, detectives are starting to crack down on the thieves.

When a victim realized his car had been broken into and his wallet was gone, he started tracking his credit cards immediately. Within 45 minutes, the thieves had charged about $1,000 on the stolen credits cards.

Norman Police used that information to track down suspect Michael Gavin. Police say they spotted Gavin and his vehicle in surveillance video from the stores where he used the victim's credit card.

The arrest of Gavin and his accomplice cracked the car burglary cases wide open for investigators. They recovered items belonging to more than a dozen victims.

Police now know the thieves in Norman are pocketing $1,000 a day, all from credit cards. Investigators say the suspects steal them, use them as fast as possible, and hire accomplices to return the items purchased with the stolen credit cards at different stores.

Norman Police say they're trying to educate the public to not to leave purses, wallets, or any valuables inside their cars.