Suspected thieves rummage through Layton neighborhood

LAYTON, Utah — A Layton neighborhood has been targeted by thieves and a lot of people say they have the video to prove it.

Many of those neighbors told KSL Friday they’re hoping someone will recognize the suspected crooks caught on video.

Layton police have a lot of that on surveillance, but they don’t have much more than that.

Investigators are still looking for help identifying the suspects.

They say a group of them have hit the northeast side of Layton multiple nights in a row. So far, they have taken several items, including a truck, a car and a gun.

“I got a notification on my Ring alert, saying that there was another alert for my area,” said Jordan Easter. “Three or four people get out of the car and spread out, and they would go and check different cars around them.”

Several videos of a similar nature have been popping up in the area’s Ring community app, where people can report suspicious activity to each other.

At least 16 burglaries and thefts in one Layton neighborhood over the last few days. Items taken include a truck, a car, and a gun. I'll have some of the surveillance video that neighbors have pooled together in hopes of catching the thieves, on @KSL5TV at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/HMYOvYHePe

— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) October 29, 2021

“Sure enough, people were getting into my car,” said Nikki Melquist.

Melquist said this is what she found from her camera — her car, that she usually keeps locked.

“And I just forgot to do it last night, and my car was unlocked, and of course, that was the night that they came in,” she said.

Melquist said it appears nothing was actually taken.

“Things could be a lot worse, but it’s just a violation of your privacy and your personal space,” said Melquist.

Easter feels the same way after seeing the crooks trying to get into his cars.

“It’s insane,” he said. “You’d think that with as many cameras as there are out there in the world, you know, you’d think that people would be less able to do something like this, or willing to do something like this.”

Starting on Oct. 25, Layton police say a group has been hitting the area pretty consistently, with sixteen thefts so far, five of those just Thursday night.

Police said the group left behind a stolen truck from South Weber and a car that they say was stolen here in the neighborhood.

“And it was found in the middle of the street, running,” said Easter.

The group is seen splitting up, checking multiple houses at a time, and their faces are pretty well obscured with hoodies and masks.

Still, Easter is hopeful someone might be able to identify something.

“There’s no escaping it with all the technology and everything these days,” he said.

Police say they don’t have any solid suspect information at this point.

Anyone with information has been asked to call the Layton City Police Department.