Someone stole cellphones, credit cards, cash, jewelry, electronics and other items from out-of-state teenage cheerleaders in town for a national competition at the Dallas Convention Center over the weekend.

The thefts occurred Saturday afternoon, according to Dallas police reports. The girls left the valuables in rooms that were not locked and came back to find them gone, police said.

"All the girls left their bags and their sweats and their coats, wallets, everything," said Karla Burlin, whose daughter is a member of a Northern California cheer squad.

"When they came back, all the phones were gone, [iPod Touches], wallets," Burlin said. "We thought the girls' stuff was safe there, or we would have had it with us."

The girls, coaches and parents were in town for the National Cheerleaders Association All-Star National Championship on Saturday and Sunday.

Detectives were working leads Wednesday. At least one stolen credit card had been used.

"Our goal is to recover some or all of the property and make an arrest or arrests," said Lt. Andy Harvey, a department spokesman.

Some people were not pleased with the police response, including a Chicago-area coach who criticized Dallas officers in a suburban Chicago newspaper story.

"We will never go back again," Jeff Siegal told the Daily Herald.

Harvey said police are taking the case seriously.

"It's unfortunate for something like that to happen, but we're doing everything we can to make it better for them," he said.