Office burglars caught on camera

HOUSTON The manager of the building that was ripped off is releasing the video of the crooks only to Eyewitness News.

The thieves were selective as they were caught on camera ripping off the property in west Harris County.

The manager of the office building agreed to share the video with us even before sheriff's investigators have it because he wants these crooks caught. They hit at least two office buildings on the Katy Freeway including one between West Green and Fry Road.

When Bill Ishee got to the office early Monday morning, he immediately knew something was wrong.

"I noticed all the glass was broken out of this window," said Ishee.

When he got further into the building, it only got worse.

"I noticed the walls had been kicked in and the ceiling tiles had been knocked out," Ishee said.

It was the work of burglars and they were caught on tape. There were two of them and both were masked with bandanas. One was carrying a rifle and he used it. Surveillance video shows him shooting out the window to the conference room. Ishee is grateful no one interrupted them.

"I believe he would have shot them," he said.

The crooks went from office to office which was easy. Once they broke into this drawer, they had the master key.

"The laptop that sits here on this desk was stolen," said Ishee.

He had three computers stolen worth $1,800. They walked away with many more, not only from the two dozen businesses here, but also from five offices inside the Nottingham Country building to the east. At both buildings that face the Katy Freeway, they broke in through the back door out of sight from passing cars.

"It was a big mess," said Dr. Quentin Andrews. "They reached in here, broke through the glass."

He isn't surprised by the one computer they did take from him, but by what they didn't take.

"They didn't take drugs or look for drugs either," said Dr. Andrews.

At both locations, they were very selective, stealing mostly computers. So Bill Ishee now suggests other business owners do what he's doing - take your computers home so burglars can't take them from you.

The thieves are still on the loose. If you recognize either of them, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or visit Crime-Stoppers.org.