Homeowners in Castle Rock dealing with rash of break-ins by armed thieves

Homeowners in Castle Rock are dealing with a rash of break-ins. The thieves are armed and -- similar to cases in south Denver -- the suspects appear to be teens.

Early Wednesday morning, surveillance video captured the moment a masked thief entered the DaCosta home.

"I saw that he had a gun and it just absolutely terrified me," Amy Dacosta said.

Outside, their RING camera and neighbors' cameras caught images of two cars stopping and the drivers chatting as they drove around the neighborhood.

It was the family's camera inside the garage that caught a good glimpse of the suspects' face. It showed him rummaging through their stuff.

He left with tens of thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment.

"I don't think my 5 year old should feel unsafe in our own home and right now that's the reality of what we are dealing with…she's scared," DaCosta said.

She and her husband believe the thief used the garage door opener they left inside a potentially unlocked car in the driveway to get inside.

"Everything will be locked up from now on," DaCosta said.

Similar more brazen and more dangerous break-ins are happening in the south Denver area. And because dozens of other homeowners have eased up on security measures, the Castle Rock Police Department has launched a campaign to try to keep homeowners from becoming victims.

"Lock it up Castle Rock" an officer says on one of their social media videos.

After their experience the DaCosta's say they'll be doing that and more.

"I think it's just realizing that it can happen anywhere it doesn't matter where you live," DaCosta said.

Police say always take valuables out of your car, if you do leave your garage door opener in your vehicle overnight or have it programed in your car always make sure doors are locked and if you have a newer garage door enable the lock feature from inside to prevent anyone outside from opening it.