BROKEN GLASS LITTERED THE DRIVEWAY.

Bob Hancock liked his 2008 red Chevrolet Tahoe, and was shocked that it was gone. The method in which criminals recently made off with the car from his Vixen Branch home was even more perplexing.

“I’ve had it about a year. It’s a great car,” he says. “You get up to go to work and wonder, ‘What happened to my car?’”

Hancock would later learn of the industriousness of the criminals who managed to steal his Tahoe.

“It had a factory alarm, so evidently they figured out how to break the glass on the driver’s side window, and slide into the car through the window,” he says. “Then someone slid under the car and moved the car into neutral, and rolled it out into the street. The newer models have steering wheels that don’t lock.”

Police told Hancock that crooks roll the car out of the driveway, and bump the car from behind with a stolen car to steer the car into a discreet location and steal accessories. He also believes the criminals were able to slide through the window without the car alarm sounding.

Luckily, his car was found a few blocks away with the wheels and

1980

THE YEAR NORTH TEXAS CRIME STOPPERS FORMED AND BEGAN OFFERING CASH REWARDS TO THE PUBLIC FOR TURNING IN CRIMINALS rims removed —estimated at several thousand dollars to replace. He was grateful, however, to get his car returned with only minor damage.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Hancock says. “It had just a couple scratches here and there —and they took an iPod out of the console.”

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says high-end SUVs have become popular crime targets. He says the criminals have become more sophisticated in their tactics, and a window-sensor alarm may be a deterrent in instances like this.

The Victim: BobHancock

The Crime: Auto theft; theft

Date: Wednesday, March 10

Time: Between 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Location: 11300 block of Rupley

“If this particular thief knew how to dismantle the transmission system to place the vehicle in neutral, than there is no doubt he knew how to get around the vehicle alarm system,” Jones says. “A window breakage sensor needs to be purchased along with the alarm. Without that sensor, a thief can get into the vehicle through the window without setting off the alarm.” —SEAN CHAFFIN

10,900 NUMBER OF CASES THAT HAVE BEEN CLEARED BASED ON TIPS

$3MIL

THE AMOUNT OF REWARD MONEY THAT HAS BEEN PAID TO TIPSTERS

SOURCE:NORTH TEXAS CRIME COMMISSION AT CRIMESTOPPERSWEB.COM.