Gone in 4 Seconds Part 1

It's a crime that can happen so quickly, it's over before you even know you've been had and none of us is immune to crime.

But before you watch this story, call all the women in your family to watch it with you.

It's an eye-opening look at theft and how your valuables can be "Gone in 4-Seconds"

Security video shows a brazen burglary caught on tape.

The driver of a car is about to steal a purse from the SUV.

As the unsuspecting victim gets out to fill her tank, the driver of the other car opens the passenger door, snatches her purse and then takes off.

He is literally 'gone in 4-seconds.'

Sgt. Ricky Williams / Metro Police: "Very quick. That's very quick. You can tell that that the criminal has done it before, knew what he was doing and what to look for'."

Sergeant Rricky Williams is a crime prevention specialist with metro police.

He's seen a lot of things over the years, but the veteran officer says this crime takes the cake.

And Williams says some of you are almost asking to be victims.

"Because you leave your doors open, you don't put your purse in your trunk, you leave your laptop on your seat, whatever. It's just the crime of opportunity"

Claudia Frazier was impressed with our tape and with good reason.

Minutes earlier, we watched as the nashville native came out of a convenience store with her keys in hand but no purse.

Turns out her car wasn't locked.

And you guessed it, her purse was sitting right there in the passenger seat.

Claudia Frazier / Nashville: "Yeah, it could have been me. Yeah, it could have been me."

Scott Couch / Fox 17 News: "What happens on this tape could happen in any town in our viewing area and that's why we thought it was so important for you to see it"

Nena davis / Nashville Caterer: "I do it all the time. You don't think about it but i will now. That's unbelievable how quickly he was able to do that"

If you're going to be away from your car, police say you should take your purse with you and put any other valuables out of sight.


And even when you're standing right there, lock your doors, especially if you have a high profile vehicle like a van or suv.

Because if you don't that leaves you open to this crime.

Sgt. Williams / Metro Police: "Tthat allows someone to just open your door and grab your personal items out and walk right away"

And it can all be over in as little as 4-seconds.

In this surveillance video, the victim doesn't even realize her purse is gone until she starts to pull away and her passenger door swings open.

Tomorrow night at 9, we'll hear from a Sumner County woman who knows about this kind of theft first hand.

If this video didn't convince you to protect yourself, her story will.