Burglars struck Washington Street self-storage units last week, removing large household items as well as smaller personal things, according to Covington Police Department reports.

 The perpetrators reportedly cut the locks and pried open the doors of multiple units at 8165 Washington Street sometime before June 30.

 At least two victims filed reports describing the theft of various personal items, clothes and electronics as well as large home appliances.

 One victim said she and her family hoped to buy their own home soon and had been saving and purchasing appliances for that home for several years. But on Thursday, she received a call that thieves had cut the lock on her storage unit and broke the deadbolt, boldly rummaging through her things and carting off a dishwasher, washer and dryer.  

 She said the thefts were a significant setback.

 "It's going to take a while to replace," she said. "They broke a lot of stuff in there. My storage unit was turned upside down."

 The victim said this was the first time this had happened during the several years she has used the unit. She has not been able to recover any of the stolen items to date.

 In another report, another victim went to retrieve some items and discovered June 30 that his unit had been broken into and the lock cut.

 Among the items taken were three church gowns, three bags of female shoes and men's shirts, as well as a bike, DVD player and VHS tapes.

 Neither victim had serial numbers for their items, according to the reports.

 Writing down the serial numbers of all electronics and items with serial numbers or putting a unique mark on goods greatly increases the chances of recovering stolen items, experts say.

 Without serial numbers, it's hard to tell one appliance from another, pointed out Covington Police Department spokesperson Detective Daniel Seals.

 For items without serial numbers, Newton County Sheriff's Office Lt. Bill Watterson recommended taking a photograph or video with a digital camera or video recorder and keeping the photo or recording in a safe place.

 Anyone with information about the incidents can contact the Covington Police Department at (770) 786-7605. Anonymous tips can be left online at www.covingtonpolice.com/secretwitness.html