A California mom chased down thieves who stole her son’s piggy bank Saturday, smashing the burglars’ car window with her bare hands, according to footage obtained by KABC.
Kiara Ortiz arrived at her apartment in Torrance with her two children Saturday when she noticed the alleged thieves exiting her residence, according to KABC. She and her children had just returned from picking up lunch when her son said, “Who’s that?”
Ortiz told the outlet she realized what was happening and began recording the incident with her cellphone. She then chased after the alleged thieves, who had her son’s piggy bank, as they made their way to a vehicle. Cellphone footage shows her chasing after the suspects.
“I saw the guy kind of reach over for something, so I backed up a little bit went around the car and hit the windshield, the window,” Ortiz, a personal trainer, told KABC.
She was able to smash the car’s rear passenger window before the vehicle began moving, according to additional footage. Ortiz’s son took video of the license plate, but police later said the plate had been swapped, however, KABC reported. The thieves fled the scene in a dark green BMW, according to the Torrance Police Department (TPD).
They allegedly ransacked Ortiz’s apartment and took jewelry, money and Ortiz’s gun, which had been safely stored in a locked box, KABC reported.
“I feel very violated, very angry. I feel… like you can’t do nothing about it,” she told the outlet.
“I am just grateful that my family is OK, it could have gone so bad,” she said. (RELATED: Walmart Stabbing Suspect Stayed On Streets Despite Long Rap Sheet, Mental Illness)
The TPD is investigating the incident. “This type of crime is concerning, and we are committed to ensuring the safety of our community. We encourage community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior or activity to the Torrance Police Department promptly,” the department said.
A total of 86 residential burglaries were reported in Torrance from January to April 2025, according to a TPD crime analysis report. By comparison, there were 55 such incidents reported in the jurisdiction from January to April 2024.