[graciegirl]

From this morning's Daily Sun...

A Villages couple reported a burglary and the theft of more than $4000 in jewelry and cash Monday afternoon, according to Marion County Sheriffs records.

At approximately 2:45 p.m., according to the incident report, deputies responded to a home on 8300 block of SE 177 Bartram Loop in The Villages.

There, a couple told deputies that they left the home unsecured at about 10:35 a.m. and returned at at about 2:20 p.m. and found their doors locked, the report stated. Inside, the couple noticed their dining room window partially open and the screen missing and called 911.

According to the incident report, deputies noted that an unidentified suspect had attempted to force open a dead bolted lanai door and was unable to gain entry, and then found that the dining room window was unlocked and pried off the screen.

According to the report, a lieutenant who later arrived at the home discovered a foot print next to the fence that separates the home's property with a neighboring farm's driveway, as welll as tire tracks that appeared to have made a U-turn heading back in the direction of County Line Road.

Deputies believe the suspect moved to the master bedroom and targeted the homeowner's jewelry boxes taking pieces valued at $4,300, searched an office and stole an envelope with $200 in cash and a video camera valued at $200 in the office closet, the report said.

According to the report, officials found it unusual that the suspect did not steal other electronics in the home.

Investigation in the case is ongoing.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Marion County sheriff's office at 732.9111 or Crime Stoppers at 368.7867