A Michigan woman is warning her neighbors to stay vigilant after her car was stolen from inside her closed garage in a theft that was captured on a nearby security camera.
Shianne Peterman, who lives in Wyoming, Michigan, discovered the theft when she was preparing to head to the grocery store one morning and realized her Ford Taurus had vanished. What initially seemed impossible quickly became reality after she reviewed footage from a neighbor’s surveillance camera.
The video showed a man calmly walking up the driveway from behind nearby businesses. Using a flashlight from his phone, the suspect entered the garage, switched on the lights, opened the door, and backed the vehicle out before speeding away.
Peterman said she was stunned by how confidently the thief carried out the crime.
“There was no second thought on it,” she said, describing how effortlessly the suspect entered and drove away.
One Small Mistake Led to a Big Loss
Although the garage door had been closed, Peterman admitted to FOX 17 WXMI that she had made one mistake that she never imagined would come back to haunt her.
Her car keys had been left inside the vehicle, and the interior door leading to the garage was unlocked.
Like many homeowners, she believed that parking inside a closed garage offered enough protection. But the incident proved otherwise.
“I thought it’s in my garage. My garage door is closed. What does it matter?” she explained after the theft. “I never expected this to happen.”
Peterman said she usually takes precautions and rarely leaves valuables unsecured, but had become comfortable in the neighborhood and never imagined someone would enter her property so boldly.
Unfortunately, the stolen vehicle had recently been paid off, making the loss even harder to accept.
Neighbor’s Video Revealed a Wider Problem
The incident wasn’t isolated.
Another resident living just a couple of minutes away shared surveillance footage showing someone attempting to break into his vehicle roughly half an hour before Peterman’s car was stolen.
The videos have raised concerns among residents that the suspect may have been targeting multiple homes in the area.
Police in Wyoming are encouraging residents to adopt what they call a “9 PM routine.” The practice involves checking that all doors, garages, vehicles, and sheds are securely locked before going to bed. Authorities also recommend removing valuables from cars and keeping keys out of sight.
The warning comes as vehicle thefts and break-ins remain a concern in communities across the country, with criminals often seeking easy opportunities created by unlocked doors or keys left inside vehicles.
Theft Leaves Single Mother Feeling Unsafe
For Peterman, the loss goes far beyond transportation.
As a single mother, she relies on her car for nearly every aspect of daily life, from getting to work and running errands to taking her children to school.
The theft has also left her feeling vulnerable because the suspect drove away with her house key, which was inside the vehicle.
Fearing the thief could return, she immediately replaced the locks on her home.
“It frightens me,” she admitted, saying she worried that whoever stole the car knew exactly where it came from.
Peterman has filed a police report and hopes that sharing her story will prevent others from experiencing the same ordeal.
Her message to fellow homeowners is simple: never assume a closed garage is enough. Lock every door, keep keys out of vehicles, and avoid becoming too comfortable because criminals may be looking for exactly that.