A New Orleans woman is angry that police took nearly 17 hours to respond after she reported that a man broke into her house and stole her car, WDSU reported.
Christie Thomas said that according to her surveillance camera, someone entered from the home’s back door at 5 a.m. Saturday, stole some belongings and took the car keys off the counter, the television station reported.
She reported the theft at 9 a.m. Saturday. The New Orleans Police Department said it sent a unit to her home around 1:40 a.m. Sunday, WDSU reported.
"(An )hour passed (after calling police). Well you know, I said they might be busy, even though it's a Saturday morning. I don't hear any crime, I'm looking at the news," Thomas told WWL. "Seventeen hours later, the doorbell finally rings. It's a new recruit and a field training officer.
"Two officers came to the door. 'Oh! You called 911.'And I was like, 'I did. Saturday at 9. It's Sunday morning almost 2 a.m., but yeah, I did call.'"
New Orleans police said Thomas' call was classified as Code 1, which is not a high priority, WWL reported.
Police Department spokesman Gary Sheets said in a statement that “All emergencies and in-progress calls receives an immediate high-priority response. Emergencies impacting human life will always take precedent.
“Non-emergency calls and report calls will have a higher wait time.”
Thomas said she understood that her call was not a high priority, but said a 17-hour wait was unacceptable.
"What's going to motivate me to stay here and continue to pay taxes?” Thomas told WWL. “This will not.”
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