Thief calmly steals assault rifle, Taser and police vest from unlocked cop car in Florida

Never leave valuables in a parked car and always lock the doors – that’s what one police officer will remember for a long time after a man strolled up to a patrol car and calmly stole equipment, including an assault rifle.

Florida police are searching for a suspect, described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic male, after he was caught on a surveillance camera stealing from a marked Opa Locka Police Department patrol vehicle while it sat in a neighbourhood driveway.

In the video, the man can be seen walking up to the car at 3am Tuesday morning, opening the unlocked passenger door and removing equipment, including a tactical vest, from it.

He made three trips to his own car with police equipment, including the AR-15 assault rifle with three fully loaded magazines.

The suspect also helped himself to a Taser and cartridges.

Police believe he was also responsible for additional vehicle burglaries in the same area, ABC News reports.