LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thieves stole four cars in Bullitt County in less than two minutes, leaving police searching for suspects and a business owner asking for answers.
The four cars stolen at Abell & Gillahan early Monday morning add to the recent slew of car thefts in Bullitt County. Last week, two different cars up for sale in Shepherdsville ended up on the streets after they were hotwired and stolen.
The car thefts have been caught on surveillance camera, but no suspects have been caught.
Ron Abell, owner of Abell & Gillahan Auto Sales in Mt. Washington, has watched the same 90-second video over and over again.
Abell & Gillahana Auto Sales LLC in Mt. Washington, Ky.
"It's very tough to swallow when someone takes from you something they don't deserve," Abell said.
Police believe the suspects are teenagers. The stolen cars are estimated to cost around $100,000.
"It's devastating, you work hard and you try to help our community out here with nice automobiles," Abell said.
Abell and his wife were coming off a weekend getaway when an alert went off on his phone Monday morning.
Abell believes that the thieves drove down a road, parked near the car, then couple got out and ran down a hill straight to the building's back door.
"They completely ripped the door out of the frame, tore it completely off," Abell said.
The thieves then broke into the lockbox.
"They had all the keys out here opening the doors on the cars," Abell said. "And then we'll see them start to get in the cars."
Abell rushed to his shop and called police, who were in the area.
Det. Sgt. Jeremy Schmidt with Mt. Washington Police said there was a single car left running in the lot. It was the same one the thieves arrived in, which police found out was stolen.
Det. Sgt. Jeremy Schmidt with Mt. Washington Police speaks to WDRB News on Jan. 17, 2023.
"A deputy from the Sheriff's Office was spun out to Mt. Washington because we had break-ins in a (nearby) neighborhood," Schmidt said.
The stolen vehicle used in the theft hadn't been reported in Louisville.
"That's how recent it was, they just stole it that night," Schmidt said.
The car was returned to the owner. Abell hopes for the same outcome as he pays for security upgrades and re-keying vehicles. He's also bracing for a big insurance payment.
Mt. Washington Police said Flock cameras captured the stolen SUV heading back toward Louisville on Bardstown Road. If their suspects are caught, Det. Schmidt said they could face grand theft auto and burglary charges.
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