PORTLAND, Ore. -- A burglar who broke into a southeast Portland home later apologized to the victims by sending a text message, the victims said Thursday.

Corey and Kelli Smith said the burglar broke in through a kitchen window and stole a wallet, a cell phone and a laptop filled with photos of their 2-year-old son.

"Two years of my son's life -- gone," Corey Smith said. "All those photos, all those memories."

The Smiths tried to call the stolen cell phone, but they received no answer. Then they sent a text message, asking for the family photos to be returned.

"I sent them a text message from my phone to my husband's phone," Kelli Smith said. "(I was) never expecting him to text back."

Twenty minutes later, the burglar responded. He wrote, "Im sorry, i didnt realize until it was too late. I will see what I can do."

The laptop and photos have not been returned.

"I don't even know what to think," Corey Smith said. "In a way you want to be mad at them, but then they ask for your forgiveness in a text message."

Hours after the break-in, the stolen credit cards were used at a local Wal-Mart and a man suspected of the crime was caught on camera.

The burglar is described as white, in his late 20s, with a medium build and a shaved head.

Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call police at 503-823-4822.

Burglar Sends Text Message To Victim