A Chili's Grill & Bar patron made a costly mistake when she left her purse inside her 2007 Dodge Ram on Saturday, Dec. 12.

She told police that she had left the truck locked in Chili's parking lot at about 9:20 p.m. When she returned from the restaurant 25 minutes later, the door lock had been punched in, and thieves had stolen the purse she left inside.

She lost $250 in cash, her driver's license and the purse, which was valued at $80.

Sgt. Ken Theis warns other locals not to leave items of value, such as purses or cash, in plain site in vehicles in Humble - especially during this time of year. He said vehicle burglaries spike around the holidays, so thieves in the area are out looking for easy targets.

In this case, that mistake cost one resident $500 in property and car repair costs.