Tulsa Burglars Drive Away In Victims' Vehicles

A 98-year-old Tulsa woman woke up early Monday morning to find out someone had broken into her home and stole her car.

Police believe the thieves got in through her bathroom window, grabbed the car keys and left. Another family said the same thing happened to them.

Lucille Sparks is 98 years old and gets around with the help of her caretakers. She said she can't believe burglars would take her car in the middle of the night.

9/14/2015 Related Story: Burglar Steals Elderly Tulsa Woman's TV & Car

Police said detectives found fingerprints on the windows of Sparks' home near 31st and Mingo. They believe burglars crawled through her bathroom window, took her TV and stole her 1996 Buick LeSabre.

Officer Peter Maher, said, "It's particularly disturbing the fact that she's so elderly and the fact that these individuals entered the residence while she was fast asleep during the night."

When Leigh Miller heard what happened, she could only think about a similar situation when someone broke into her home near 4th and Yale a couple of weeks ago.

“There's, like, nothing that's scary to know somebody was in your house when you're asleep and then to take the only form of transportation that we have," Miller said.

She said someone stole the family's PT Cruiser from the driveway.

"I ran out front and the car was gone," Miller recalled.

She said a burglar broke in through the back door and took the keys right from the front door table. Miller now relies on other family members to get around while police look for the car.

“It's been tough. I mean, you know, we just can't get up and go to the store when we want to," she said.

Burglary detectives don't believe these types of car thefts are becoming a trend; they said the car is not usually a target but is a "convenient opportunity in addition to the other items taken" during the crime.

For Sparks, she and her caretaker are grateful for the outpouring of support and she hopes to get her car back soon.

"I'm exhausted is all I can say," she said.

Her car is a 1996 or 1997 white, four-door Buick LeSabre with Oklahoma license plate 001GEH.

If you have any information you're urged to call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.