BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Times are tough right now and unfortunately for many, they’re not getting any easier.
After a long day at the hospital, one local nurse went to the Bark Park for her normal run and when she got back to the car she found her window busted out and work bag missing.
“I was really mad and started crying,” local nurse Kayla Turner said.
Turner says after work she heads to the park four or five days a week to go run the trails because it felt safe.
“I would never think something like that would happen,” Turner said.
During a medical pandemic the last thing a nurse would want is for her work bag to be taken.
“Devastated because all of my stuff was in my work bag," Turner said. "My iPad, actually my sons iPad, my wallet, social security card, driver’s license, credit cards checks, keys to my house, my tax return, my information everything was in my bag...it’s been a nightmare."
They also took a few new pairs of scrubs and her work badge.
Even though it’s been a hard few days, Turner says she’s trying to be the bigger person.
“I’m trying to not take it personally. They’re probably are having hard times themselves...it’s just a bummer,” Turner said.
Local police departments say unfortunately cars parked out at trails can be considered targets so they don’t recommend leaving valuables in the car.
“Don’t give that criminal a crime of opportunity, if he looks in there and sees something he wants he can break a window in a matter of seconds,” said Sgt. Anthony Murphy with the Fayetteville Police Department.
Murphy says while many of us just worry about staying healthy, not everyone has the same goal.
“People are out at our parks and need to stay safe while they're out there," he said. "We're all thinking about social distancing but the criminals aren’t social distancing from your vehicle so lock those vehicles."
Turner says she still feels safe on the trails at Bark Park in Bentonville but she’ll never leave stuff in her car again.
Police ask that you put valuables in the trunk before you get to a final location if you must leave something in the car, and remember to lock your car doors.