String of burglaries in Bellevue neighborhood worrying residents

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- A string of burglaries on the east side have some neighbors on high alert.

Bellevue Police are looking into three break-ins this weekend, but people who live in the Clyde Hill area say there have been many more, and they believe they’ve got an epidemic on their hands.



“They came in from the front door and pounded it in, you see they broke it right off of its mounts,” said Lee Sherman as he pointed out where thieves broke into his Clyde Hill home, not once but twice on Saturday, coming back for what they didn’t get the first time.

“When they came back the second time, they came back in the back door,” said Sherman.

Sherman said the burglars ransacked their home, stealing anything of value. The second time, he said they even hurt their pet duck.

“Why would they do that I don’t know, it is disturbing,” said Sherman.

His family is now terrified the burglars will come back again, especially as they learn they weren’t the only targets this weekend.

“Over the weekend across the street from my house, the house was broken into last night,” said Mike Carlson, a neighbor, who lives about a mile from the Shermans. Carlson said two of his neighbors have had their homes broken into recently, and he suspects the storms over the weekend played a role.

“I think they thought the storm was going to knock out power, it didn’t but it was a very noisy evening with a lot of trees falling down,” said Carlson.

Regardless of the reason, Carlson is now beefing up his security system.

“We have an alarm system but we’re going to be putting in more cameras,” said Carlson.

It’s what the Shermans said they’ll be doing too, still afraid it won’t be enough to stop them.

“They’re brazen; they’re really bold to go from place to place, and apparently not concerned about getting caught, which is a little scary.”

The Shermans said they are sharing their story tonight to warn their neighbors because they believe as long as these burglars are out there, no one is safe.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-222-TIPS.