Houston apartments targeted by burglars

HOUSTON — Apartments in Boone Manor, near the Museum District, cost as much as $4,000 a month, but security is priceless.

“There are key fobs, a concierge, outdoor cameras,” said resident Caroline Buchalter.

That’s why she was shocked when she received a motion notification Thursday afternoon from her Nest camera.

“And I saw two men break into my apartment almost in real time,” Buchalter said.

The video shows the men looking into his home office before peering into a bedroom where one of them may have been scared off by a camera.

“There’s a kind of burning fear that comes over you when you see someone enter your home,” Buchalter says. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Nothing was stolen from his apartment, but Houston police confirmed that three other units were hit in the same building that same day. In one case, the burglars took a small safe.

“We have a lot of residents who are very concerned about their safety and are moving,” Jordan Soto said. “And I’m one of them.”

The story is similar at the Sovereign in West Dallas. That’s where HPD confirmed three units were burglarized a day after the Boone Manor burglaries.

“How can they just walk away with a laundry basket full of this stuff?” victim Jennifer Bergmark asked.

Bergmark lost a laundry basket as well as purses, jewelry and family heirlooms. She didn’t have a Nest or Ring camera, but a neighbor caught one of the potential suspects in the hallway.

“It’s really not the monetary value that matters, it’s the sentiment,” Bergmark said. “And it’s frustrating when someone comes to your house and seems to be going through your personal belongings.”

Victims believe the thieves knocked on the door to make sure no one was home before breaking in, but they wonder what might happen if someone other than a pet is inside next time.

“I really hope that someone can recognize them and bring them to justice, because this is not acceptable,” Buchalter said.

While the cases in each building are likely related, it is unclear whether the same suspects affected both buildings. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers.

Neither building commented on the break-ins, but said residents had received emails about the incidents.