SELMA, Texas – Criminals targeted veterans on a somber and important military holiday. A string of car break-ins happened early Monday morning in the Selma-area.
Matthew Castillo del Muro joined the Army in 2009, and was deployed in 2010.
"We did the ground patrols, walking around looking for IEDs basically," Castillo del Muro said.
Just five months into the deployment, he was badly injured.
"I just remember taking a step and just seeing a bright orange flash. It took me about 45 seconds to come to and realize what happened. But I came to and had lost my right leg," he said.
He was awarded the Purple Heart and Operation Finally Home built him a beautiful house in Selma. He his wife, and their kids moved in about 18 months ago.
It's a primarily military neighborhood, which is why he never expected to wake up on Memorial Day to find his car window shattered, and items stolen out of it. Selma police told him it happened around 4 a.m.
The thieves only broke the driver's side window. Castillo del Muro said they never opened the door, and he didn't hear an alarm go off. However, the hole in the glass was big enough for them to reach in and steal his expensive radar detector.
He said there were at least four other break-ins early this morning on his street alone. It wasn't hard for the criminals to see their victims were veterans. Castillo del Muro's car and some of the others, have military license plates.
"It's just sad," he said. "In the first place, it's not something cool to do, but especially on a day like this. It's just a bad taste in my mouth," he said.
Selma police told Castillo del Muro they've already caught one of the suspected thieves and are looking for another.
He hopes once the other person is arrested, everyone's stolen property will be returned.