Burglars use garage door openers to enter homes in Loudoun County

Burglars are getting into some Loudoun County homes, but they're not breaking in. They are using the homeowners' own garage door openers to gain access.

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The Loudoun County Sheriff's Department says it is seeing an increasing problem with people who have installed security systems and locked their doors leaving their cars in the driveway with their garage door openers inside them. Then, these people become the targets of burglars.

Danielle Clay showed ABC 7's Gail Huff how burglars broke into her car and used the garage opener to get inside.

"My camera was stolen, some DVDs, headphones and then they opened the garage and went in and went through the garages," shared Clay.

The county sheriff says he's seen a rash of similar incidents in South Riding.

"when you have a situation where you have people actually going into your house while you're there, they know you're home, that's a little more risky and more dangerous, " said Sheriff Stephen Simpson.

No arrests have been made but authorities say it may be the same person who struck a half dozen residences on Kimberly Rose Drive and Snyder Place. Cash, cameras, credit cards and cell phones were all stolen in the burglaries.

Beth Roberson says burglars broke into the driveway while she was home.

"And you know, our house is well-lit, we live on a street with lights and yes, and very brave, at 10:30 at night," said Roberson.

"It's distressing. I'm upset for them and it's a little bit scary to know that that all went on while we were all home sleeping in our beds," Linda Kupsky.

What disturbs her the most is the garage of her home is right under the kids' bedroom.

"If the kids had woken up, you know, I don't know what they would have done. If they would have gone looking or come to get us. It's just disturbing when you've got little kids in your house to know that there is people out there messing with your stuff," shared Kupsky.

One of the victims told us that the thieves racked up thousands of dollars of debt on the credit card they stole from her in a couple of hours on the Internet.

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