Break-ins, what's your theory?

[PR1234]

The Sun says there was another break-in last Friday on Vance Trail, and over $20,000 worth of jewelry and $300 in cash were reported missing. What I want to know is how do these theives always seem to know the homes with the jewelry? A theory I have is maybe someone works for a local insurance company and is letting the bad guys know who has their jewelry insured???
What's your theory???:shrug::shrug::shrug:

[chelsea24]

Where is Vance Trail? What Village is that??? :shrug:

I agree it could be that, so some workman that has been in all of these houses. Guess it is time to lock and load! :cus:

[CAL]

I believe it is in Caroline off of the Stillwater Gate entrance.

[SNOK]

Here is a report from one of the Vance Trail residents to her neighbors about the burglary.

For those of you who didn't know, there was a break-in and burglary on our street. I just spoke with a policeman with Sumter County Sheriff's dept and he told me that there are some suspects and they feel that they are accessing the houses by golf cart paths and a prime area is houses that back up to the preserve. He advised to keep lights on inside and out and to report any suspicious activity IMMEDIATELY and not wait and not to call Village Watch. It will delay the response time. 911 will do it. I have also programmed my phone with the sheriff's office 352 793-0278. They have added overtime to the staff and as you have probably seen, they are patrolling our area. Be vigilant but be safe. Tomorrow evening is prime time to be cautious if you are going to Mardi Gras at the square.

[graciegirl]

I don't have jewelry of value here, I wonder if they have some kind of connection to a jewelry store, if someone had something recently repaired or bought something?

[chelsea24]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking, what about a cleaning service??? They go everywhere? Just a thought. :shrug:

[Taltarzac]

Often with crime, "victims" do not want to be seen in that light of someone who has been taken advantage of in some way so some of these break-ins here in TV may not even get reported especially if they do not get anything of value and/or come in through an open door. Unreported crime statistics link-- http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/09/national/main521212.shtml

These just might be co-incidences that these thieves are targeting only houses with jewelry.

As for Mardi Gras today, you can always leave a bunch of lights and the TV on.

[chelsea24]

We didn't end up going, but if we did, I'd let my pet python loose! ;)

[graciegirl]

On the way home from Mardi Gras, about 6:30, we passed a dark green pick up, empty, parked in the golf cart lane on Odell near the Amelia mail drop.

[Cassie325]

On the way home from Mardi Gras, about 6:30, we passed a dark green pick up, empty, parked in the golf cart lane on Odell near the Amelia mail drop.

I am assuming you called the sheriff's office GG:bowdown:


....whether they have something to do with the break ins or not....that is an accident waiting to happen. :faint:

[spk7951]

On the way home from Mardi Gras, about 6:30, we passed a dark green pick up, empty, parked in the golf cart lane on Odell near the Amelia mail drop.

We passed by that area around 5:30 and the vehicle operator was being questioned by three deputies. Not sure what it was all about but it certainly made my wife curious.

[Mintjulep]

I rarely wear my jewelry since in TV, so it was never seen by the workman we had on our summer kitchen. Or repaired or etc.
I still don't understand why we were targeted.

But I received this email today from a neighbor.
Don't know the original author.
But thought it may be worthwhile to post.


The home around the corner from us on Durango that was hit a few days ago - friends of ours - plays golf with the husband. He advised that they had tried to break in through a window without success and then a slider without success (their back yard is on Tierra del Sol Golf Course) and being unsuccessful, they immediately went to the front door - he said they must have used crowbars as the door jamb was completely torn out, the door broken, the dead bolt broken and door taken down........ It was mid-afternoon and hard to believe that neighbors ignore pounding, etc and no one even saw it happening!

The burglars took all her jewelry and all silver flatwear service and face creams..... Don't know if she hid any jewelry in the bottom of those jars...... They are folks with money - each has one of those very fancy $20,000 golf carts. Seems like someone knew something that they would be out, etc. Makes me want to buy "killer dog"

================================================== =======

This afternoon (Friday) there were strangers on Wisteria St who may have been scouting out the area prior to an attempted breakin. When asked by the homeowner what purpose they had on this street and what were they doing on her property they gave conflicting reasons. The homeowner contacted the police but the men were long gone before they arrived. We need to be vigilant of any activity in our area that doesn't look right, strange cars etc. And contact the police immediately. All of our doors should be locked and garage doors down. I don't have any other details.

[graciegirl]

I rarely wear my jewelry since in TV, so it was never seen by the workman we had on our summer kitchen. Or repaired or etc.
I still don't understand why we were targeted.

But I received this email today from a neighbor.
Don't know the original author.
But thought it may be worthwhile to post.


The home around the corner from us on Durango that was hit a few days ago - friends of ours - plays golf with the husband. He advised that they had tried to break in through a window without success and then a slider without success (their back yard is on Tierra del Sol Golf Course) and being unsuccessful, they immediately went to the front door - he said they must have used crowbars as the door jamb was completely torn out, the door broken, the dead bolt broken and door taken down........ It was mid-afternoon and hard to believe that neighbors ignore pounding, etc and no one even saw it happening!

The burglars took all her jewelry and all silver flatwear service and face creams..... Don't know if she hid any jewelry in the bottom of those jars...... They are folks with money - each has one of those very fancy $20,000 golf carts. Seems like someone knew something that they would be out, etc. Makes me want to buy "killer dog"

================================================== =======

This afternoon (Friday) there were strangers on Wisteria St who may have been scouting out the area prior to an attempted breakin. When asked by the homeowner what purpose they had on this street and what were they doing on her property they gave conflicting reasons. The homeowner contacted the police but the men were long gone before they arrived. We need to be vigilant of any activity in our area that doesn't look right, strange cars etc. And contact the police immediately. All of our doors should be locked and garage doors down. I don't have any other details.

You know I thought about cars, that someone might be watching a Lexus or Mercedes but I hadn't thought about the expensive golf carts. Some thieves may think to follow someone home driving one of those. How often do we have someone right behind us when we pull into our driveway that just continues down the street. Now I sound paranoid, but that could be how they pick their places.

[In awe of TV]

Don't the homes in TV have alarm systems? :shrug:

I wouldn't think of living without an alarm system in my home.

We live in a different age now and what was safe before, is not now. :cus:

It's very disconcerting to hear about the robberies in such a happy place - makes me sad.

I agree that neighbors must watch out for each other and report anything and everything that seems suspicious.

[Raymonds25]

I purchased a Sentry fire-safe some years ago. Here's some info on a safe approximately to what I have:

- Exterior Dimensions: 17"H x 16"W x 19"D
- Capacity: 1.2 cu. ft.
- Weight: 135 lb.

Although I initially purchased the safe in case of fire, the size and weight would discourage a thief from taking it. Then again, the safe can even be bolted to the floor!

Just my input on making things more difficult for the burgulars.

[dgammon6]

We saw a Deputy pass by the back of our house on the golf cart path, in a golf cart. I asked him if there was a problem. He said they would be patrolling occasionally on golf carts. He indicated there was a computer laying in a field adjacent to Hemmingway course.
Since this recent oubreak of burglaries we leave a light and music or TV on when we're gone, and have installed a motion detector light on the Lanai near the cart path. The next best thing we can do is keep our eyes open and report any suspicious activity immediately.

[Cassie325]

I was at an entrance of a village at the guard house. I was waiting to speak to the gate guard, a friend, while he was on the phone. He had called into the office in reference to a lanscape company van that did not seem familiar to him.

The office said they would check it out but they were really on the look out for a mercedes!!! Seems some of these burglars are driving pretty fancy cars!!

[chelsea24]

I'm in the wrong business! :shocked: Oh, that's right. I'm not in any business! :laugh:

[rshoffer]

I can't even imagine owning 20K in jewelry, let alone having it laying around the house for easy pickins...

wonder what my Timex Ironman watch is worth...?

[islandgal]

I'm in the wrong business! :shocked: Oh, that's right. I'm not in any business! :laugh:

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Halle]

:cus:

I just heard from one of my neighbors, and there was a robbery on Corbett Drive, in The Village of Amelia, last week. The same scenario as before they stole cash and jewelry.

:cus:

[Shirleevee]

Tonight on Channel 6 news, they did a segment on the robberies in TV. According to them there have been about 20 in the past few weeks. The thought is that a golf cart is being used and a female is in the front of the homes talking on a cell phone watching.

[Barefoot]

I'm thinking that backing on a golf course may not be such a great idea after all! I'm sure TV is still a very safe community ... but this rash of break-ins is worrisome. :shrug:

I think I'll stop feeding Brutus so he'll get really irritable.

[graciegirl]

I wonder if when the snowbirds go home that the robberies will become more or less. Since they are stealing money and jewelry, maybe less, but how about the computer found on the golf course? I wish someone would tell us what is stolen exactly. If it is jewelry, it has to be fenced somewhere, seems like that could be followed, but I might be just watching too many crime shows on TV. On top of the economy and the thread by Lauren Ritchie and now reading this. I am not very sleepy tonight.

[billethkid]

you can rest assured there is only one thing they are after....money....or anything that will convert to cash quickly like jewelry/electronics...anything a pawn shop will give cash for.

It all boils down to common sense. The mentality for home is the same for the car...lock it...don't leave valuables unsecured...and in most cases victims do not take preventive action.

Just don't make it easy for the perp......they don't stay long even when the hit pay dirt and the same goes for when they find nothing they want.

As for the recent "rash" of thefts....statistically insignificant given the size of the population.....in a city of 70,000 with 20incidents = not even one tenth of one percent. However if you are a victim the stats don't matter. The perps are only taking advantage of those who choose to remain vulnerable.

BTK

[Shirleevee]

http://www.wftv.com/video/18855964/index.html?treets=orlc&tid=26510153083813&tml=orlc_7am&tmi=orlc_7am_1_06000103052009&ts=H

This is the news segment from Channel 9 news last night. Thanks Kathie I.

[fizzbyn]

A few weeks ago, at night, a couple in our neighborhood saw a younger women with light brown, maybe redish, shoulder-length curly hair, maybe a little over-weight, walking up and down Chapman Loop in Hemingway talking on a cell phone. It was the portion of Chapman that backs the undeveloped Ranch homes to the south, with addresses in the 900-1000 range. The neighbors drove around the block several times and she was pacing back and forth in the same general location, still on the cell phone. They finally stopped and ask her for directions (just to see what she'd say). She said she wasn't from here, was visiting some people, and was trying to find her way back to the house where she was staying (cell phone stayed on her ear). A community watch truck was within Chapman Loop so the neighbors flagged him down and reported it. They do not know what happened or if any homes on Chapman Loop were burglarized.

[KathieI]

This is the news segment from Channel 9 news last night. Thanks Kathie I.

YW, Missy Shirl.

Fizz, I can't take time now to search the forum, but I think we had a similar post in the recent past. I recollect reading something similar to this. We all need to be alert in our communities. Thanks for posting this. K.

[Cassie325]

...The neighbors drove around the block several times and she was pacing back and forth in the same general location, still on the cell phone. They finally stopped and ask her for directions (just to see what she'd say). She said she wasn't from here, was visiting some people, and was trying to find her way back to the house where she was staying (cell phone stayed on her ear). A community watch truck was within Chapman Loop so the neighbors flagged him down and reported it. They do not know what happened or if any homes on Chapman Loop were burglarized.

GOOD for them! Good way to protect their neighborhood and home!!