The “Snakeskin Boot Bandit” is on the loose.
Pro racing driver Townsend Bell was devastated this week when he returned from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to discover that his Los Angeles home had been broken into and a career’s worth of memorabilia and prizes had been stolen, including two championship Rolex watches and 10 Indy 500 entrant rings.
The thief or thieves smashed through a glass door and stole a safe containing the jewelry, along with other items from the home. No one heard the crime being committed, but it was caught by security cameras and Bell is now sharing the footage in the hopes that someone can spot a useful clue.
The first video shows a Hyundai Santa Fe pulling up to the Pacific Palisades home. Bell misidentified it as a Ford Escape before a fan replied to the post to correct him.
A hooded figure is then seen hopping over the front fence and creeping around outside the house.
In the final clip, the man exits the home and runs through the driveway with what appears to be a limp.
A freeze frame and zoom of the perp’s image reveals his distinctive choice in footwear, which Bell believes are snakeskin cowboy boots.
Anyone with information about the crime is urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department.