Residents on edge after a series of burglaries in Alpine

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – An Alpine neighborhood is on edge after a brazen thief has broken into cars and trucks in the middle of the night.

The string of crimes comes as a shock to those who have always taken their peace and security for granted.

Even with security cameras peering both inside and out, 18-year-old Jennifer Lundy says someone broke into her truck around 2 a.m., Wednesday.

The surveillance video from her home’s security system shows a stranger moving in the shadows, apparently searching inside the truck.

The thief got away with hundreds of dollars worth of items, including a Tiffany bracelet, $300 worth of makeup and everything else in her purse.

“You can visibly see her taking my belongings,” said Lundy.

The Sheriff’s Department said this is just one of eight similar hot prowls in which the intruder smashed a window, or got in through an unlocked car door.

Jennifer Lundy said she had never had to lock her truck before the break in.

And because her truck was parked at the end of a very long steep driveway off a private road, the teenager always assumed it was safe.

Other neighbors were alarmed by the new turn of events.

Nicole Markvist said someone ransacked her car too, but nothing was taken.

Other neighbors learned about the string of burglaries after Jennifer printed up fliers and posted the news on Facebook.

Jennifer said her family is already working to find the culprit, and have hired a private investigator to take a closer look at the video.

The Sheriff’s Department calls the series of intrusions, crimes of opportunity.

Deputies are reminding people to not leave anything visible in their cars or trucks.