Burglars Breaking In Homes Through Mail Slots

Updated: 7:45 pm EST

December 17, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. -- There's a new burglary spree in Orlando. Thieves broke into four houses near Silver Star Road in the past week and WFTV found out how they're doing it through mail slots.

"I think they stuck their hand in here and just unlocked it," Stacy Drebenstedt told WFTV. 

She still can't believe she's the victim of a burglary, let alone how the crooks unlocked the deadbolt through the mail slot. 

"My hand goes in to here, so if you have smaller arms than me you can put your hand right in," she said. 

In the last seven days, there have been four similar break-ins in the College Park area. Drebenstedt was targeted in broad daylight, between 2:00 and 2:30pm, between the time she went to work and the mailman showed up to find her door open. 

"It's scary to come home with your door ajar and you're alone and you're a woman," she said. "I feel violated. It's horrible." 

The thieves made off with more than $10,000 in jewelry and other valuables, including her husband's paycheck he had just cashed. 

People in the neighborhood said they noticed a white or cream-colored vehicle randomly parked in driveways recently with two men inside scoping out the area. They also noticed a stranger walking the street.

Orlando police are investigating. At this point, they aren't saying the crimes are related or if the strangers are suspects. 

Drebenstedt has two dogs, but they were in the backyard at the time of the robbery. She has covered the mail slot the best she can until she buys a mail guard.

Orlando police said they will be patrolling the area.

LINK TO VIDEO

http://www.wftv.com/news/26174013/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss