Burglar in zebra-print bottoms ripped out phone, internet connections as he broke in, homeowner says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A thief hard to miss in zebra-patterned shorts was caught on surveillance camera breaking into a home in Houston's Montrose neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon.

Doorbell camera footage shows him peering through the windows and knocking on the door to check if there was anyone inside. He's then seen walking to the back of the house, where he rips out the telephone and internet connections and breaks in through the locked back door.

The homeowner, who wants to stay anonymous for her safety, said she noticed the door was open before she went to her bedroom, where the drawers were also left open with her jewelry all gone. The homeowner said what he took goes far beyond the financial value.

"It's more than monetary value," the homeowner said. "He took things that (were) my mother's, my mothers-in-law (handed down) - I can't replace that."

According to the ABC13 Neighborhood Safety Tracker, Houston averaged 265 burglaries a week in the last 12 months, which is trending down.

In Montrose and the surrounding areas, there have been 218 burglaries in the last 12 months, which is similar to what we've been seeing in the last few years in the area.

"This is a really quiet area. Nothing ever happens," the homeowner said.

She hopes police can track down the "Zebra Bandit," believing there will be more victims in the neighborhood if he isn't caught soon.

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