AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department is heightening its presence around an East Austin neighborhood where there has been a series of reported broken windows.

Austin native Austin Stowell said for the past 3 years he has felt safe living in his East 12th Street home. But after this week, his family and neighbors on the block are on edge.

Just after 2:30 a.m. Monday, someone hit the windows to Stowell’s master bedroom. It also happened 7 days before at the same time overnight. 

“We thought that there was a serendipitous chance, it could just be a bad accident, a rock being thrown from a car or something like that, it wasn’t until we saw our neighbors,” Stowell said. 

The windows of two other houses just down the block are also damaged. Stowell said it costs about $2,000 each to replace, but there is a bigger price to pay. 

“It’s a position where you know you’re uncomfortable in your own home, because things are not like what they normally are,” he said. 

Stowell cannot help but the think about the safety of his own two kids. 

“Most of us are new parents so we’ve all got young kids at home,” he said. “I think that’s your primary concern as a parent that you’re worried about the safety of your family.” 

Neighbors shared surveillance footage with Spectrum News. At the time of first incident on May 7, a white sedan passes by and again on May 14 around the same time. 

Stowell is working with the Austin Police Department. In an email APD told Spectrum News, “Directed patrols have been set up in the area, so there will be a stronger officer presence.” They are also working to assign a detective to the case. 

“We’d like to see APD utilize every lead they have,” Stowell said. “Bring these people in because, it’s us today, it could be someone else tomorrow.”