‘I am in a children’s park’: Powhatan woman wants more surveillance after broad daylight break-in

‘I am in a children’s park’: Powhatan woman wants more surveillance after broad daylight break-in

POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- It was broad daylight in the Fighting Creek Park parking lot on May 6 when Sandy Harding’s car was broken into.

She was there enjoying the playground with her three-and-a-half-year-old grandson and husband from 3:15 p.m. to around 4:00 p.m. that day. 

“It was like, I don’t wanna bring my purse with me," Harding said. "I’ll just tuck it underneath the seat.” 

It was a normal day at the playground for Harding. Until it ended with a shattered car window and stolen credit cards. 

Courtesy of Sandy Harding

“My drivers’ license, my registration, all my medical cards, my insurance," she said.

She even lost some jewelry.

Harding said she'd brought her grandson to play there five times and that it was like a treat for him. 

She thought, "I am in a children’s park. You know, nobody’s gonna mess with my car here.” 

Harding said she left her purse under the drivers’ seat, but that didn’t stop the burglar from smashing in her window. And she wasn’t the only one --two other cars were broken into that day as well.  

According to the Powhatan County Sheriff's Office (PCSO), over the past year there have been five other car break-ins in the area just a mile from the sheriff's office. 

Harding hasn’t brought her grandson to the park since.  

"It’s summertime and there’s nobody here," she said. “He was traumatized, you know, asking me questions. You know, ‘Grandma... who did that?’ I said it was a bad guy."

Additionally, Hardin's credit card was charged over $1,000 in gift cards from Wal-Mart shortly after the break-in.  

She has filed a report with the PCSO, but they haven’t tracked down the person who did this yet. 

Harding proposed a solution. 

“I would love to see a camera put up at the entrance," she said. "It’s only one way in and one way out.” 

8News saw a deputy and a state trooper driving through the park, but Harding said she’d also like to see a camera near the playground for the kids’ safety since it’s tucked away and trees block the view to the parking lot.