SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A San Diego State basketball star returned home after a big win on the road only to find that burglars ransacked his apartment.
Senior forward Winston Shepard scored 18 points and had five steals in this weekend's win against Utah State. But now he's dealing with a major loss, after returning to his campus apartment in San Diego.
“As a team we're building a lot of momentum so you're looking forward to getting back, relax and rest and I just get back to my apartment and realize all my valuables are gone,” explained Shepard.
The burglar took his TV, video games, clothes, championship rings and even the sheets off his bed.
“At the end of the day it'll fall back on me and my family to replace tens of thousands of dollars of things. For a college student that's pretty tough,” continued Shepard.
Police reported that the suspect broke in through a front window, then went through the home.
“Whoever broke into my house did a good securing it back up, making it look like nothing had happen,” said Shepard. “It wasn't until I opened the door and seen my place trashed and all my things gone that I noticed.”
Several partial prints were lifted from inside and officers were searching for matches.
“Obviously being a basketball player or being an athlete, people know when he's not going to be around,” said Lt. Randy Lawrence with the SDSU Police Department. “If they see someone in an apartment complex or a dorm they don't know or it's suspicious, we want them to call us so we can verify who they are.”
The Aztec's next game is Wednesday and Shepard said he won't let it distract from the team's effort to rebound the season.
“It's unfortunate, but I'm not going to let it sidetrack me from my basketball season. It's just possession, but it does hurt. A lot of those things were priceless to me,” Shepard said.
So far police don't have any suspects. Many of Shepard’s neighbors in the campus apartment building are students and were still away for winter break. Those that were interviewed didn’t report seeing anything suspicious.
Anyone with information in this case should contact the SDSU Police Department.