Soddy Daisy car break-ins at the Hawthorne at The Hollow apartments

SODDY-DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Residents at Hawthorne at The Hollow apartment complex claim that over 20 vehicles have been broken into in recent days, leaving them frustrated and searching for answers.

Several victims of the break-ins have come together, believing they’ve identified a pattern in the incidents.

These car break-ins have left tenants stunned.

Jordan Portner, one of the affected residents, shared that he only found out about the incident when he walked outside.

“I was just about to go get some groceries and wash my truck when I saw my driver’s side window was busted,” Portner explained. “It’s not a good feeling.”

Clayton Poe, another resident, had a similar experience. However, he didn’t discover the damage on his own—his neighbor had to wake him up.

“Yeah, I got a banging on my door at like eight o’clock in the morning,” Poe recalled. “One of my next-door neighbors told me, ‘Hey, they busted out your windshield. They busted out mine too. And three others near us.’”

When Poe went outside to check, he was shocked.

“I looked at my truck and saw my window just completely busted out. And then I saw four or five more vehicles right beside mine, all hit the same way,” he elaborated.

While residents initially feared they had lost valuable personal belongings, they soon realized the thieves were after something — specific firearms.

“I think what shocked me the most was that none of my belongings were taken,” Poe said. “They just had the glove compartment open. I had golf clubs out there, about $400 dollars’ worth of tools for my job. They didn’t touch any of it.”

Instead, it appears the burglars were targeting firearms left inside the vehicles.

“I imagine since they were going through the glove box, they were looking for guns,” Poe speculated. “I know they also hit a local cop’s vehicle here in the complex, and from what I’ve heard, they stole a decent number of firearms from him and three other people.”

Portner echoed this theory.

“From talking with other residents, it seems like they left cash, key fobs, and other valuable items,” he explained. “They were only after firearms.”

Both Poe and Portner expressed concerns about the lack of security measures at Hawthorne at The Hollow.

“It’s really frustrating,” Poe admitted. “We pay a lot of money to live here. I have a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit that we turned into an office, and we’re paying all this money for a place that doesn’t even have a security system or surveillance cameras to monitor these people breaking into our vehicles.”

Portner agreed, adding that installing cameras would at least provide a chance to catch the suspects.

“One thing I’d like to see is some surveillance cameras on the corners of buildings,” he suggested. “That way, if this happens again, we can actually see who did it.”

For many residents, the break-ins weren’t just emotionally unsettling—they were financially devastating.

“It’s up to us,” Poe said. “We’re the ones having to pay out-of-pocket for this.”

He explained that his own deductible is $500, meaning he’ll have to cover all the repairs himself.

“It’s ridiculous,” he added. “They won’t cover this. I have to pay it completely out-of-pocket.”

Despite their frustration, residents are determined to take precautions moving forward.

“I definitely won’t be leaving valuables in my truck anymore,” Portner said. “Now that I know people are coming here and hitting so many cars, I’ll be more careful. Hopefully, they don’t come back and do it again.”

Poe offered a piece of advice for other gun owners.

“Everybody, just keep your guns inside your house,” he urged. “They’re definitely coming for them. Just make sure you stay safe.”

For now, residents are waiting to hear back from law enforcement, hoping that something can be done before another wave of break-ins occurs.

“I haven’t heard anything back on the police report,” Poe admitted. “As far as I know, they don’t have any leads. I just hope this doesn’t become one of those cases that gets thrown out the door and forgotten.”

We will keep you informed, as we learn more about this investigation.