Lock your Doors

[nanci2539]

I received the following message from my neighbor today. Has anyone heard about this?

We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval sitting in their living room......a guy walked into their lanai and tried to open the sliding door into their bedroom. He did not knock....just tried to open the slider. When he found it locked he immediately left. Our friend went out immediately and asked him what he was looking for....he said "another address".....to fertilize the lawn....????

Also, there was a woman in Lynnhaven got out of the shower and found a lady in her house with a roll of paper towels. She asked her what she was doing in her house. She said she was going door to door looking for houses to clean and giving everyone a "free roll of paper towels"....She told her to get out of her house immediately! This was reported at the Lynnhaven ladies luncheon and several others commented she had been to their door, but declined cleaning offer. There was a car out front with a guy in it......(The thought was they were also looking for things "to take")....

We get a false sense of security living in The Villages. Please pass this on to everyone you know and please KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED! (Even the garage door coming into the house if you have your garage door open)......

Wendy

[Bogie Shooter]

I received the following message from my neighbor today. Has anyone heard about this?

We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval sitting in their living room......a guy walked into their lanai and tried to open the sliding door into their bedroom. He did not knock....just tried to open the slider. When he found it locked he immediately left. Our friend went out immediately and asked him what he was looking for....he said "another address".....to fertilize the lawn....????

Also, there was a woman in Lynnhaven got out of the shower and found a lady in her house with a roll of paper towels. She asked her what she was doing in her house. She said she was going door to door looking for houses to clean and giving everyone a "free roll of paper towels"....She told her to get out of her house immediately! This was reported at the Lynnhaven ladies luncheon and several others commented she had been to their door, but declined cleaning offer. There was a car out front with a guy in it......(The thought was they were also looking for things "to take")....

We get a false sense of security living in The Villages. Please pass this on to everyone you know and please KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED! (Even the garage door coming into the house if you have your garage door open)......
Wendy

The things urban ledgends are made of.
BTW where did your neighbor get this information?

[nanci2539]

This is a friend of my neighbors and she witnessed this at her friends home in Duval. I doubt if this is a made up story but I am trying to verify it.

How do you know it's a urban legend?

[JohnN]

I keep my doors locked everywhere just because that's how it is these days.

[tony]

We really need to know if this is definitely true or not. If you cannot find the person who was directly affected, I would assume it is an urban legend. Urban legends are exactly like this: You never ever can find the specific person. Everytime you get to the "correct" person, you find that it goes back to yet another person, who, it turns out, heard it from somebody else.

Why didn't anybody call the police? I agree this rings of an urban legend. If we are not certain of its veracity, we will remove this thread.

I trust that everyone knows he or she should keep doors locked.

[nanci2539]

I checked this out - my neighbor knows the women personally who sent this to her. She's credible and was at her friends home and witnessed this man tryng to get into the house. The house has a slider entrance to the master bedroom.

My neighbor is not the type to send something questionable around. She knows this person and gave me her phone number if I want to talk to her.

I beleive this is true - my neighbor doesn't even send around jokes! But if you question it and feel it should be removed, that's fine.

[samhass]

I have met Nancy and found her to be a very credible person. I think her advice to keep your doors locked is wise. Stranger things have happened in TV.

[dillywho]

If you do, just talk to the guys at Metro Crime Prevention....they have facts and figures to back it up. This is happening in TV and all around. If you have never been to one of their presentations, next time you hear of one, please go. They are available for presentations to any group, large or small (even one-on-one if you'd like). They give you tips for your safety not only at home, but on ID Theft, parking lots, the Vial of Life program sponsored by the Sheriff's Dept - Fire Dept. - Hospitals- Red Cross. Thie number is 352-401-0177 or pm me and I'll see about giving you another number or so. No, I don't work for them but know that what they teach you is very worthwhile.....things you don't always think about until it is too late.

[bimmertl]

Not able to confirm any of the stories posted. However, last week we were home and the doorbell rang. There was a man at the door offering cleaning services and if we agreed to let him give us an estimate we would get free paper towels, which he had in his hand.

We live in Springdale.

[dillywho]

There are not supposed to be any door-to-door solicitors in TV. Sounds like a call to TV Administration is in order to report these people. As for the starter on this thread, please pay attention and do not doubt her. As has been stated time after time, this is a great place to live but not perfect. Just don't let your guard down. Checking with the Sheriff's Office might not be a bad idea, either. They will also do a free home inspection to let you know where you might be vulnerable. When in doubt, err on the side of caution...can't hurt.

[MelZ]

Whether this is an Urban Myth or not it's an excellent reminder for the use of common sense and caution.

[graciegirl]

This is an old thread.

The subject of locking doors comes up a lot around here. I feel completely safe home with the doors unlocked. Just as safe as I feel in Ohio.

My neighbor who is from a heavily populated area of the east coast does not.

We kiddingly argue about it all of the time.

Nothing has changed my mind in the almost two years we have owned here.

I may be wrong...as Russ always says.

[cher54461]

We really need to know if this is definitely true or not. If you cannot find the person who was directly affected, I would assume it is an urban legend. Urban legends are exactly like this: You never ever can find the specific person. Everytime you get to the "correct" person, you find that it goes back to yet another person, who, it turns out, heard it from somebody else.

Why didn't anybody call the police? I agree this rings of an urban legend. If we are not certain of its veracity, we will remove this thread.

I trust that everyone knows he or she should keep doors locked.

That girl came to my door. I sent her away. I live north of 466. It is not made up. She had paper towels in her hand.

[nanci2539]

First of all, Thanks Sam; it was nice of you to comment. Secondly, I just don't have time to post stuff that doesn't make sense to me. I know the person who sent this, she knows the person who witnessed it and now we have posters who confirm the man/lady with the paper towels trying to get into your home. It's called casing the place!

We live in an almost perfect Village right but if you read posts over the past few years, you'll finid similar stories about people trying to deliver flowers at 10PM or break in's while people are in the home.

These stories seldom make it to the Daily Sun and sometimes we forget that we have crime here too.

So, that being said, I felt I was doing a service - this isn't a Urban Myth.

[English Ivy]

A couple of weeks ago I had a young woman holding a roll of paper towels at my front door in Village of Bonita (not too far from Duval). She wanted to clean something but I cut her off, said no thank you and she got in a vehicle (mini-van?) that had several other people in it.

I thought about calling Community Watch because of the no solicitors policy of The Villages, but I didn't. Wish I had. I have called CW in the past about solicitors and they do come out and talk with them and advise they cannot go door to door. So this is a good service that CW provides, even if they don't jump your dead battery (see other post).

The Villages is a lovely community that has less crime than most areas, but if you think you're perfectly safe here and nothing can happen to you in "the bubble", you could be in for a bad surprise.

[tony]

The original story would be believable if those who saw a man trying to forcefully enter her house had called the police. You will notice that the police are never involved in these urban legends.

Failing that, I don't believe.

Sure its good advice to be safe, but no way will I believe this.

If people do not call police when an obvious criminal attempts to get in their house, they themselves inadvertently contribute to the crime problem.

[petenj]

This is a friend of my neighbors and she witnessed this at her friends home in Duval. I doubt if this is a made up story but I am trying to verify it.

How do you know it's a urban legend?

More likely to be false, since it is now the word of a third party. It is still a good idea to lock up where ever you live.

[petenj]

That girl came to my door. I sent her away. I live north of 466. It is not made up. She had paper towels in her hand.

She came to your door. She did not enter and sit in your house. And those original people should have filed a police report.

[PR1234]

I have had this same thing happen to me in our home in MI. Girl at the door with roll of paper towel....same story.....van full of people waiting for her...must be some kind of nationwide scam:boxing2::boxing2:

[Boomer]

EEK! I am so sorry. I just deleted part of my rant when I was just trying to fix some punctuation. Please see explanation later in this thread if you want to know what happened.

[ejp52]

Finding someone in my house who is unknown to me and uninvited is a BIG PROBLEM.
Florida has a law giving you the right to defend yourself.

[Mintjulep]

We keep our doors locked since we were broken into last year.
The burglars gained entry thru our bedroom slider.
Thank goodness we weren't home.
But it made us very aware of what can happen.

You can bet your booties I am heeding this warning!!!

[BobKat1]

I keep my doors locked everywhere just because that's how it is these days.

I agree. We do too and that includes the cars.

The best advice to come out of this thread.

[billethkid]

a high priority for the un-invited as they get an opportunity to case/observe a property. Least priority are those that have backs of homes facing backs of homes with common back yards....little or no opportunity for observing.

We have motion sensors at open doors. And the always ready Smith & Wesson.

How many do in fact call the police or neighborhood watch when there is a violation? My guess would be not many. I just don't understand why folks will not contact the authorities.

btk

[BobKat1]

In many communities, when things like this are reported, law enforcement will increase patrols. Seems like a good idea to report it.

[graciegirl]

I received the following message from my neighbor today. Has anyone heard about this?

We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval sitting in their living room......a guy walked into their lanai and tried to open the sliding door into their bedroom. He did not knock....just tried to open the slider. When he found it locked he immediately left. Our friend went out immediately and asked him what he was looking for....he said "another address".....to fertilize the lawn....????

Also, there was a woman in Lynnhaven got out of the shower and found a lady in her house with a roll of paper towels. She asked her what she was doing in her house. She said she was going door to door looking for houses to clean and giving everyone a "free roll of paper towels"....She told her to get out of her house immediately! This was reported at the Lynnhaven ladies luncheon and several others commented she had been to their door, but declined cleaning offer. There was a car out front with a guy in it......(The thought was they were also looking for things "to take")....

We get a false sense of security living in The Villages. Please pass this on to everyone you know and please KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED! (Even the garage door coming into the house if you have your garage door open)......

Wendy

I went to art studio at Colony Cottage this morning and to my surprise the above email was read to us as a warning. The woman who read it is NOT a follower of TOTV and didn't know what TOTV is. She said she had received it this morning from a friend.

I told everyone that I did not know if it was a repeated urban legend to begin with but that the posting was a year old.

By the way, we lock our doors when we go out. I have heard of break ins but not since the poster who was broken into had hers/his. There was a rash of them at that time and I think I remember reading that the culprits had been caught.

I think this is a pretty safe place overall.

[bkcunningham1]

Gracie, what do you mean the posting was a year old? The original post on this thread from nanci2539 was yesterday (4/12/10). What am I missing?

Regardless, I'd call the police about any suspicious activity. I was taught that locks are for honest people. If someone is going to "break-in" they will find a way. I was also taught at an early age to respect and how to use a firearm.

[Boomer]

EEK!

I had spent a pretty good amount of time on my soapbox this morning in this thread. I had quite a long rant in here earlier where I vented about how I get so tired of people being targeted by scum. And I gave examples of things like this that I know happened. And so I ranted about the turn the thread took to the urban legend department.

I also went on about how so many people, through no fault of their own, end up in vulnerable positions and fall victim. I just do not understand how some can dismiss these situations, like happened in that phone scam thread, too.

And I said that I did not doubt Nanci's post.

So anyway, I looked back at the post, like I need to not do, and I was messing around with some parentheses, which I am wont to use, and I managed to delete most of what I had posted. My computer was acting weird, but I might have just leaned on the wrong key or something. I do not know what happened to cause the post to disappear.

I did the routine where I kept clicking backward on the little arrows at the top of the page to try to find it but still -- gone.

I wish I had that post back. It said it all. And more.

Boomer

[Mintjulep]

Gracie, our culprits have not been caught.
The many items the police took for finger printing and DNA tests were recently returned to me, and I ask the police many questions about our case as well as the other cases. No arrests have ever been made.
And they suspected that a woman had been involved.

I agree that TV is a very safe area, especially for the population size.

But I do take precautions and I don't hesitate to call 911 if I feel something is out of the ordinary.

[Pat_RI]

I was visiting my mother in Pennecamp and we were having a coffee on the lanai and a man walked into the backyard and I asked what was he doing tresspassing on our property and he said he was looking for weeds. Thought that was weird but she just moved there and the landscaper hadn't come for the first time yet so she didn't recognize him. The landscaper came the next day and him or his workers looked nothing like the guy "looking for weeds". Probably should have called the cops or at least asked for id but we didn't think of it at the time.

[Bogie Shooter]

It is really hard to believe that so many folks have experienced , the walk in guy, girl with paper towels,etc....why in the h--- nobody called the sheriffs department.

[Pat_RI]

I think one of the reasons is the amount of people going door to door trying to sell landscaping, insect control, lightning rods, etc. I know when I was down there for a couple of weeks the amount of soliciting that went on in Pennecamp was out of control. I don't know if it was due to the new home purchase or a regular occurance but it was a real pain.

[graciegirl]

They plague the new villages and they can spot a move in...in a heart beat. When we moved into Hadley the first day, we must have have five or six people selling things on the fiirst day and I think we have two overlapping "bug" people now. I can't figure who does what.

[graciegirl]

Gracie, what do you mean the posting was a year old? The original post on this thread from nanci2539 was yesterday (4/12/10). What am I missing?

Regardless, I'd call the police about any suspicious activity. I was taught that locks are for honest people. If someone is going to "break-in" they will find a way. I was also taught at an early age to respect and how to use a firearm.

I could have sworn this is one of those post that are revived from time to time by the administrators and I thought I looked for the date and saw an old one. I do apologize. I have now repeated erroneous information to someone else. I told the students this morning that it was an old post.

However...I think that it very well may be repeated information like the game of telephone where the information becomes different when repeated. Those who want to be armed, be armed. I think that anything strange should be reported immediately to authorities..... But for me and my house we walk around inside unlocked...until we go to bed.

[duffysmom]

I'm troubled by the skepticism regarding the possibility of evil visiting our homes. Yes, TV is an amazing and safe place to live but to leave doors unlocked is an invitation to become a victim. In my previous life I was a drug and alcoholism counselor and believe me, drugs will cause people to take incredible risks and change a docile person into an violent criminal. The local newspaper crime blotter will show you that most of the arrests in the surrounding area revolve around drugs and alcohol. This is true of the entire USA. I'm hardly a fearful person having lived in NYC a good part of my life but I know from experience that vigilence is an important factor is being safe. Sorry about this rant but I was a little disconcerted by the attitude that TV is immune to crime. The people who knock on doors with paper towels sound like grifters who take advantage of the elderly. Pure evil and they travel in packs. My avatar is a picture of my pit bull disguised as a maltese so beware. :police:

[Pturner]

I too am surprised about people not calling 911 when strangers came uninvited onto their property-- or even into their homes, if that's true-- and offered bazaar explanations for being there.

If it seems suspect, we should call 911 first, CW second. We help protect ourselves and our neighbors by making law enforcement and neighborhood patrols aware of suspicious activity.

[graciegirl]

Maybe it is our street in Hadley, with people going in and out of their homes all of the time, neighbors chatting in the driveways....and maybe because home invasion is not on my list of fears, like a number of other improbable things are not.

Is it possible? Yes. Probable? No.

You were a drug counselor and I wasn't. I am 70 years old, from the midwest, and not one single person that I have known personally in my entire lifetime has had their home broken into. We have worked hard and have always chosen to live in RELATIVELY safe places.

Could it happen? Yes. Will I lock my doors in the daytime when the three of us are home? No. The cats go in and out to the lanai. I need to run out and see if my flowers need watering, or to say hi to a dog and its owner.

Am I stupid, naive, too innocent? I don't know. I am not afraid of someone entering my home here.

I am really afraid of the country going bankrupt.

[CSilvestrucci]

I agree with you, Gracie

[BlueHeronFan]

Well this thread is interesting, especially for what appeared as a somewhat negative reaction to some comments I made in another thread about the amount of soliciting going on around in TV.

Anywho....Things aren't always as they seem when there are people going through the backyards etc. I have witnessed some, and upon checking here are a few of the results.

Weedpicker is generally one of the services offered from Kirk's lawn service.
Electric meter reader.
Water meter scanners.
Surveyers for neighbors installing after purchase pool systems.

But if they are found in the home, then grab a phone for 911 or something else for protection. Seniors are notorious for being victims of scams and invasions.

But all in all, I think everybody seems to watch out for their neighborhood.

[starflyte1]

I love to keep the sliders (3) and doors open. Radio Shack has a motion activated alarm that is battery operated. I just set it on a table at the door and if anything crosses in front of it, it buzzes. Put it high enough so the dogs don't set it off. It really works well.

[jimt49]

It’s very easy to believe we live in a bubble and are not subject to the ills of the rest of the world. Have there been burglaries and burglars caught in the Villages? Yes, I need look no further than my own neighborhood in Spanish Springs. The excellent job done by our local police departments alone is not enough. We need to take care of ourselves and one another just as we would living anyplace else. We do not need to live in fear, but be aware that there are bad people and things that we are not insulated from. Need further proof? Look up the Florida Sex Offender Registry and see that some of these animals live in the Villages. Yes, I lock my doors.

JimT

[K9-Lovers]

According to CLRSearch.com, TV has more assault, burglary, larceny and property crime than the national average. There is a perception that there is low crime in TV because the developers do a fantastic job at marketing. I plan to keep my doors locked, use motion sensor lights and alarms, just as I did before moving to TV. Because we are an older (sometimes more trusting) population concentrated in one place, and due to the perception that wealthy people live in TV, criminals may see us as easy targets. Don't be an easy target -- lock your doors and be aware of your surroundings, just as you were before moving to "the bubble". Check out the statistics on the link below:

http://www.clrsearch.com/RSS/Demographics/FL/The_Villages/32162/Crime_Statistics

[BobKat1]

This information reinforces that residents of TV should take the same precautions as residents of any city with 70k-80k people.

[villages07]

K-9.... thanks for that site; interesting, but, I'm not sure how credible. If you read the fine print it says it goes back 7 years. I find some of the assault, larceny, burglary figures for 32162 a bit difficult to believe. For grins, I put in a zip code for a not so nice area close to Washington DC and The Villages was very close to this other zip for assault, burglary, property crime.... ain't no way. The other zip had a murder rate index of 375 compared to the national 100 index...to give you an idea of how bad it was.

I think the 32162 zip has developed so much in the past 7 years that the numbers are skewed or just plain wrong.

Regardless, the basic message in this thread is lock your doors, be wary of suspicious behavior, and report intruders to the police.

[K9-Lovers]

K-9.... thanks for that site; interesting, but, I'm not sure how credible. If you read the fine print it says it goes back 7 years. I find some of the assault, larceny, burglary figures for 32162 a bit difficult to believe. For grins, I put in a zip code for a not so nice area close to Washington DC and The Villages was very close to this other zip for assault, burglary, property crime.... ain't no way. The other zip had a murder rate index of 375 compared to the national 100 index...to give you an idea of how bad it was.

I think the 32162 zip has developed so much in the past 7 years that the numbers are skewed or just plain wrong.

Regardless, the basic message in this thread is lock your doors, be wary of suspicious behavior, and report intruders to the police.

Villages 07: I checked a couple of other sites. They can't all be wrong. Most of these sites base their research on information from police and sheriff sources. Here are two more sites quoting high crime in TV. The first source is CNN, the second is Trulia, a real estate search site. Even if the crime rate is high in TV, that shouldn't keep us from believing it is the best retirement community available . . . because it is! It just makes sense that with the poorer areas immediately outside of TV boundaries, coupled with those communities' perceptions of an elderly, wealthy and vulnerable population, crime against TV residents is the result. We should all be aware and beware, while enjoying the amenities, good neighbors, and good times.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2007/snapshots/PL1271625.html

http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/The_Villages-Florida/community-info/

[graciegirl]

K-9.... thanks for that site; interesting, but, I'm not sure how credible. If you read the fine print it says it goes back 7 years. I find some of the assault, larceny, burglary figures for 32162 a bit difficult to believe. For grins, I put in a zip code for a not so nice area close to Washington DC and The Villages was very close to this other zip for assault, burglary, property crime.... ain't no way. The other zip had a murder rate index of 375 compared to the national 100 index...to give you an idea of how bad it was.

I think the 32162 zip has developed so much in the past 7 years that the numbers are skewed or just plain wrong.

Regardless, the basic message in this thread is lock your doors, be wary of suspicious behavior, and report intruders to the police.

Village07, I was just checking crime rate sites for another view on the subject and came up with the same conclusions.
This chart shows that The Villages has a much lower rate than Florida and the whole U.S. in Robbery, rape, personal crime, and murder, but that we are WAY higher in the assault , property crime and burglery. (???)
You will have to copy and paste this link, but do. It is almost laughable.
http://www.clrsearch.com/RSS/Demographics/FL/The_Villages/32162/Crime_Statistics

[villages07]

K-9.... I know you're trying to get a handle on life in the Villages from afar, but, I think these sites are also misleading.

Trulia...talks about Sumter County crime, not the villages.... and most of the supporting statistics seem to be from 2000.

CNN/Money ... says Villages population was 8,600 at the time (2007...based on what data year???); population is now over 70,000.

I think these sites are well-intentioned but very misleading.

Yes, there are property crimes and assaults within the Villages. But, I seriously doubt that 2009 statistics, when measured as a rate per thousand residents, will be anywhere near what these generic websites have reported.

I sure would like to see the official 32162/Sumter Sheriff statistics for crimes for 2009 (knowing that this does not cover the entire Villages). I'll wander over to their website and see if anything is posted.

[K9-Lovers]

Yes, I am trying to learn as much as I can about TV, because I am so excited about becoming a full-time resident THIS FRIDAY!!! We are moving to the Village of Palo Alto. Before we decided to purchase a home in TV, I came across these crime statistics, but that did not deter us from moving to what we know is going to be the best place we have ever lived. Perhaps the websites to which I provided links are wrong. That would be great. But even if they are correct, they show that crimes against property are high, and crimes against people are low, meaning theft, burglary, etc. is more prevalent than violent acts.

I'd love to know if you find out anything from the local authorities about crime stats, tho it won't change my plans for precautions; it's better to err on the side of caution. So, I'll keep my doors locked, use motion-sensor lights, be aware of my surroundings, and then -- forgetaboutit and have fun.:p

[graciegirl]

Yes, I am trying to learn as much as I can about TV, because I am so excited about becoming a full-time resident THIS FRIDAY!!! We are moving to the Village of Palo Alto. Before we decided to purchase a home in TV, I came across these crime statistics, but that did not deter us from moving to what we know is going to be the best place we have ever lived. Perhaps the websites to which I provided links are wrong. That would be great. But even if they are correct, they show that crimes against property are high, and crimes against people are low, meaning theft, burglary, etc. is more prevalent than violent acts.

I'd love to know if you find out anything from the local authorities about crime stats, tho it won't change my plans for precautions; it's better to err on the side of caution. So, I'll keep my doors locked, use motion-sensor lights, be aware of my surroundings, and then -- forgetaboutit and have fun.:p

Welcome to you. When you live here for a year or two you will find just how wrong those numbers are.

[zcaveman]

For some reason, I get the feeling that some of you think that there is no crime in TV. It exists - it is just not reported in the Daily Sun.

Better safe than sorry. Lock your doors and keep your eyes open for the creeps. They are out there and they are usually in the newer villages because those are the one not expecting them.

[Jeff Bieberfeld]

i know that we are a community with gates, but we are also a community with cameras. in all this time no one has reviewed the tapes and pin-pointed the vehicles that these grifters are driving? doe the sheriff's department have any reports on these activites? are there any official investigations going on?
this does sound like the stuff urban legends are based on, but then again one cannot be too complacent.
:024:

[Bogie Shooter]

Memorandum
To: Janet Tutt, District Manager
From: Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O.
Fire Chief
Re: Email Concern
Date: April 14, 2010
On Monday, April 12th, VCCDD staff began to receive an unusual amount of email
originating from a single individual within the community. The email was entitled “Keep
your doors locked.” The email described some situations in which homeowners had
experienced either someone in their home, or attempting to enter their home. Due to the
number of emails as well as the resulting aura of “fear” resulting from these emails, staff
made contact with the individual originating the email in an effort to gain a better
understanding of the situation.
Battalion Chief Scott Wilder was able to make contact and discovered that, as with all
rumors, there are some parts that are factual while the majority of the story – especially
when spoken – takes on a slightly different life than when passed along as gospel in the
written form of an email. The individual initiating the email had, in fact, been at a
friend’s home as the friend was preparing to move into the new home. At this point the
home was vacant and the two individuals were sitting on the floor. While sitting there, a
man fertilizing a neighbor’s yard did attempt to open the door. The individual in question
was in fact wearing a uniform of the company he worked for and a company vehicle was
witnessed in the area as well. When approached, the individual stated that he was trying
to locate a new client for whom he was supposed to provide service.
At this point the “fertilizer man” and the two individuals parted ways, and neither of the
individuals felt it necessary to contact law enforcement. Battalion Chief Wilder has also
been in contact with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to advise them of the situation and
to determine if any other similar situations had been reported. To date no other similar
situations have been reported. In retrospect the situation involving the “fertilizer man”
appears to be a serious error in judgment as to how this man conducted business and not
an attempt to illegally enter private property.
Hard Work, Stewardship, Hospitality, Creativity
2
Battalion Chief Wilder also inquired as to her including a description of the second
incident in which a homeowner came out of the shower to discover a woman in her home
holding paper towels. At this point in the conversation the email initiator stated that she
did not have any factual information of this incident, and stated that she had only “heard”
about this incident at a “social” function. This same incident was described to VCCDD
staff more than a year ago as well. When asked about this incident Sumter County
Sherriff’s personnel also did not have any reports of an illegal entry described other than
the rumored incident.
The misinformation being transmitted via email has accomplished scaring several
property owners, but it does not appear to point to a rash of illegal entry incidents by
criminals. VCCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the
respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken. Staff
continues to encourage residents to contact law enforcement in situations where they feel

[Talk Host]

Memorandum
To: Janet Tutt, District Manager
From: Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O.
Fire Chief
Re: Email Concern
Date: April 14, 2010
On Monday, April 12th, VCCDD staff began to receive an unusual amount of email
originating from a single individual within the community. The email was entitled “Keep
your doors locked.” The email described some situations in which homeowners had
experienced either someone in their home, or attempting to enter their home. Due to the
number of emails as well as the resulting aura of “fear” resulting from these emails, staff
made contact with the individual originating the email in an effort to gain a better
understanding of the situation.
Battalion Chief Scott Wilder was able to make contact and discovered that, as with all
rumors, there are some parts that are factual while the majority of the story – especially
when spoken – takes on a slightly different life than when passed along as gospel in the
written form of an email. The individual initiating the email had, in fact, been at a
friend’s home as the friend was preparing to move into the new home. At this point the
home was vacant and the two individuals were sitting on the floor. While sitting there, a
man fertilizing a neighbor’s yard did attempt to open the door. The individual in question
was in fact wearing a uniform of the company he worked for and a company vehicle was
witnessed in the area as well. When approached, the individual stated that he was trying
to locate a new client for whom he was supposed to provide service.
At this point the “fertilizer man” and the two individuals parted ways, and neither of the
individuals felt it necessary to contact law enforcement. Battalion Chief Wilder has also
been in contact with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to advise them of the situation and
to determine if any other similar situations had been reported. To date no other similar
situations have been reported. In retrospect the situation involving the “fertilizer man”
appears to be a serious error in judgment as to how this man conducted business and not
an attempt to illegally enter private property.
Hard Work, Stewardship, Hospitality, Creativity
2
Battalion Chief Wilder also inquired as to her including a description of the second
incident in which a homeowner came out of the shower to discover a woman in her home
holding paper towels. At this point in the conversation the email initiator stated that she
did not have any factual information of this incident, and stated that she had only “heard”
about this incident at a “social” function. This same incident was described to VCCDD
staff more than a year ago as well. When asked about this incident Sumter County
Sherriff’s personnel also did not have any reports of an illegal entry described other than
the rumored incident.
The misinformation being transmitted via email has accomplished scaring several
property owners, but it does not appear to point to a rash of illegal entry incidents by
criminals. VCCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the
respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken. Staff
continues to encourage residents to contact law enforcement in situations where they feel

I'm curious, how does one come into possession of this memorandum? It was addressed to Chief Tucker and not to "everybody on Talk of The Villages." I'm guessing that you have permission to post this private memorandum publicly.

[bkcunningham1]

Pardon me Talk Host, but the email memo is actually addressed "To: Janet Tutt, District Manager". If the email is authentic, my question would be, why's the fire chief and battalion chief investigating this incident?

[Talk Host]

Pardon me Talk Host, but the email memo is actually addressed "To: Janet Tutt, District Manager". If the email is authentic, my question would be, why's the fire chief and battalion chief investigating this incident?

I thought about that too. Firemen investigating criminal complaints. That's new.

[dillywho]

I would think that someone asked him to investigate. This seems kinda like only hearing one side of a telephone conversation, since this seems to be a response from him. Just a thought...no fact involved.

[Talk Host]

The more I think about it, the more bogosity the memo has. I think it is highly improbable that the Villages would ask the Fire Department to investigate a possible criminal complaint. The Villages surely would have asked law enforcement from the appropriate jurisdiction to make the necessary inquiries. Firemen are not trained in criminal investigation, police are not trained in fire fighting.

The only possible reason I can think of that they would press Villages firemen into police work would be to keep the information off the police blotter.

[bkcunningham1]

Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O, who allegedly wrote the post to Janet Tutt, District Manager, "currently serves with The Villages Public Safety Department," according to their website.

http://districtgov.org/departments/Public-Safety/staff.aspx


Also, according to the post, "Battalion Chief Wilder has also been in contact with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to advise them of the situation and
to determine if any other similar situations had been reported....
"VCCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the
respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken."

That makes Scott Wilder and Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O. VCCDD staff according to the post.

Villages Public Safety Department (VPSD) Mission Statement:
With respect and dignity,
the Villages Public Safety Department
will work to prevent harm, and respond to unprevented
incidents in an efficient and effective manner with the best
resources provided by the community, and
be nice!

[Talk Host]

Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O, who allegedly wrote the post to Janet Tutt, District Manager, "currently serves with The Villages Public Safety Department," according to their website.

http://districtgov.org/departments/Public-Safety/staff.aspx


Also, according to the post, "Battalion Chief Wilder has also been in contact with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to advise them of the situation and
to determine if any other similar situations had been reported....
"VCCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the
respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken."

That makes Scott Wilder and Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O. VCCDD staff according to the post.

Villages Public Safety Department (VPSD) Mission Statement:
With respect and dignity,
the Villages Public Safety Department
will work to prevent harm, and respond to unprevented
incidents in an efficient and effective manner with the best
resources provided by the community, and
be nice!

Now, this is confusing. Is Villages Public Safety a police department. Should be be calling them when we need help? What is an "unprevented incident?"

[Bonny]

I received the following message from my neighbor today. Has anyone heard about this?

We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval sitting in their living room......a guy walked into their lanai and tried to open the sliding door into their bedroom. He did not knock....just tried to open the slider. When he found it locked he immediately left. Our friend went out immediately and asked him what he was looking for....he said "another address".....to fertilize the lawn....????

Also, there was a woman in Lynnhaven got out of the shower and found a lady in her house with a roll of paper towels. She asked her what she was doing in her house. She said she was going door to door looking for houses to clean and giving everyone a "free roll of paper towels"....She told her to get out of her house immediately! This was reported at the Lynnhaven ladies luncheon and several others commented she had been to their door, but declined cleaning offer. There was a car out front with a guy in it......(The thought was they were also looking for things "to take")....

We get a false sense of security living in The Villages. Please pass this on to everyone you know and please KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED! (Even the garage door coming into the house if you have your garage door open)......

Wendy

I have a very large e-mail list. I got this e-mail from 30 people in 2 days. This person can't be a friend of everyone of them.

[bkcunningham1]

LOL, I know. But I think police, fire and rescue are all grouped under that heading. They apparently are all under the VCCDD. Unprevented incident? I dunno. Something out of your control, or maybe a fancy way of saying an accident. You may need to call in the English majors on this one. I think it's just a slogan though.

[NJblue]

Chief Tucker is also responsible for the Community Watch program. As such he comes as close as anyone within the VCDD to be involved with investigating the potential authenticity of this claim. To me, this memo sounds legit and plausible.

[SABRMnLgs]

That's why the make and sell .38s folks.

Jerry

[Bogie Shooter]

I received the email from a person here in our village. So, I went back to him to ask where he got the email. It was sent to him unsolicited from one of the District 6 Supervisors.
The person who sent it to me also had heard the same "story" that was posted here. He got the email in response to an inquirery he made about the "story".
I'm guessing that all the managers at VCDD got copies of the memo.
As to permission to post on TOTV.......I know at least 250(and counting) people have received the email by now. So it surely is a public document?

[graciegirl]

I received the email from a person here in our village. So, I went back to him to ask where he got the email. It was sent to him unsolicited from one of the District 6 Supervisors.
The person who sent it to me also had heard the same "story" that was posted here. He got the email in response to an inquirery he made about the "story".
I'm guessing that all the managers at VCDD got copies of the memo.
As to permission to post on TOTV.......I know at least 250(and counting) people have received the email by now. So it surely is a public document?

Thank you Bogie. On the side of Truth and Justice. :MOJE_whot::clap2::thumbup: At least on the side against rampant fear from information not completely......proven to be true. Last year at about three in the morning we took our visiting grandson to the hospital to be treated for an allergy attack. At that time we passed two woman joggers on Morse Blvd. I was astonished at that. There are SO many ways we can gauge the safety of this place. I think we each brings with us from the past and from the place we lived the experiences we have had. I could be wrong to not worry about safety in my home here, but so could the people who are so...........afraid. I am no dummy, but I live with two other adults too and there are three aware people at my house. But no gun.

P.S. Did you read this mornings paper about solicitation??

[graciegirl]

That's why the make and sell .38s folks.

Jerry

Sigh

[dog friendly]

This is not true, the safety department checked out this information and stated that the story with the paper towels was being told last year.

[Talk Host]

So, the email came from somebody who got it from somebody, who got it unsolicited. The stuff of urban legends.:a20:

Has anybody seen any statement about this in an "official" place. Like The Villages Newspaper?

[senior citizen]

It’s very easy to believe we live in a bubble and are not subject to the ills of the rest of the world. Have there been burglaries and burglars caught in the Villages? Yes, I need look no further than my own neighborhood in Spanish Springs. The excellent job done by our local police departments alone is not enough. We need to take care of ourselves and one another just as we would living anyplace else. We do not need to live in fear, but be aware that there are bad people and things that we are not insulated from. Need further proof? Look up the Florida Sex Offender Registry and see that some of these animals live in the Villages. Yes, I lock my doors.

JimT

I'm glad that most on this forum are not afraid to speak forthrightly. You, plus many others, have heeded the warning by the original poster, not out of naivety but out of intelligent awareness that the world we live in today is not always safe and trustworthy. Living in a perceived bubble can have consequences.

To me the original post automatically made me think it was a scam in operation...........if no one was home, they would have burglarized the place. If someone was home, they became a cleaning crew. It's so obvious. Ditto for the "landscapers".

I do not believe it is an urban legend. I think honesty would be the best policy by TV instead of glossing over various issues or problems....and blaming the original poster for creating a stir via an urban legend.

Even safe places are no longer safe........due to drugs and just the crazies out there. No doubt these "crews" mistakenly think all retirees are weak, docile, senile or unaware of their scams. There is crime in Florida as well as rampant drug problems.......which could conceivably spread to even safe communities or "bubbles" like TV. Just read the daily Orlando Sentinel online.

Several years ago, even in Vermont, a low density relatively safe state where everyone knows each other in town........a band of "gypsies" (true gypsies as reported by our police) would try the same trick of entering via screen doors and roaming around the house in the early evening , searching for valuables such as jewelry, cash..........in the 1970's and before that, everyone kept their doors unlocked, their cars unlocked, etc...........however, in the recent past we all keep our doors locked, ditto for cars.

So many people come up from the cities and need money to support their drug habits; Vermonters, like Villagers, are perceived as an easy mark. Our detectives in town are aware of this influx and try to scoot them out of town and warn the merchants of this element coming up from N.Y.C. to rural towns.
They try to infiltrate the local youth and get them hooked on drugs. Times are changing.........even in ultra safe places. I'm sure TV is no exception with those who think they can prey on senior citizens. I think it was a timely post for the times we are living in.

We also have always lived in an ultra safe place, however, it is foolhardy to trust everyone nowadays. Better safe than sorry. An interrupted burglary could have dire conseuquences. The landscaping story made me think they were very suspicious characters. One thing about living in a smaller community is that your landscapers or lawn mowing maintenance guys are children of people you know, not strangers. Ditto for cleaning crews or whatever.

Up here we no longer open the door at all for solicitors, religious pamphlet people, insurance pedlers, tree surgeons or you name it...if we do not recognize them or have not invited them. And we do not live in a crime ridden state.

Murder is rare, but it does happen and when it does, it strikes home. Back in the 1980's while my husband was away for a weekend at deer hunting camp, my mailman warned me to keep all my doors and windows locked tight as there had been a murder at a gas station on the edge of town whereby a teen was shot dead during a robbery. They have never found the murderer.........probably someone passing through........however, at the time, it never crossed my mind to think our mailman was passing on an urban legend. I believed him and called all my neighbors as well. Better safe than sorry.

What I don't understand is why no one believes anyone? Most people are smart enough not to spread urban legends..........or I would hope so. Maybe I live in a bubble of trusting people "at their word".

[bkcunningham1]

Wow, senior citizen. What an articulate summation of this thread. B.K.

[graciegirl]

[QUOTE=graciegirl;259799]Thank you Bogie. On the side of Truth and Justice. :MOJE_whot::clap2::thumbup: At least on the side against rampant fear from information not completely......proven to be true. Last year at about three in the morning we took our visiting grandson to the hospital to be treated for an allergy attack. At that time we passed two woman joggers on Morse Blvd. I was astonished at that. There are SO many ways we can gauge the safety of this place. I think we each brings with us from the past and from the place we lived the experiences we have had. I could be wrong to not worry about safety in my home here, but so could the people who are so...........afraid. I am no dummy, but I live with two other adults too and there are three aware people at my house. But no gun.
QUOTE]

Did you read this mornings paper about solicitation in the Villages?? I think the article kind of addressed the issue, but didn't....really address the...rumors. (Boomer, I didn't put an apostrophe in the word mornings because you all have me really confused.)

[BlueHeronFan]

Funny that there just happens to be a substantial article in todays Daily Sun regarding soliticiting and that it is not allowed in The Villages and what to do about it.

Funny meaning ..... interesting.

[BlueHeronFan]

Gracie, we must have been posting at same time regarding the paper this morning.

[dillywho]

Senior Citizen is right...why so quick to call it a legend? If we don't need to lock up, then why does Lt. Wolfe of the Sheriff's Office advise that we do? Is he coming up with legends? Why do they tell you to be vigilant if not to keep you safe? Why does his office offer free safety checks of your home and recommend changes to make your home safer? Is that just to prevent legends? I had them out to my home and then made the recommended changes. Total cost for what they suggested...less than dinner out. Some were $0. Top suggestion: additional locks and use them.

Ask my neighbors who had their homes broken into and items taken about legends. The thieves were looking for cash and jewelry; they by-passed electronics and took cash and jewelry only. One guy that was hit, was leaving town for the coming week and put his trash out on Friday to be picked up on Monday morning, trash day. Please don't do that or you might as well just advertise in all the papers that nobody is going to be there anytime soon...same thing. Ask a neighbor to do it for you the night before pickup. While we're gone or while our neighbor is gone, we put part of our own trash in the other's drive for the other pickup days and they do the same for us. Basically, all this thread is about is being smarter than the bad guys and believing that they really do exist....just not quite as much here, but they do come in here.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by jimt49
It’s very easy to believe we live in a bubble and are not subject to the ills of the rest of the world. Have there been burglaries and burglars caught in the Villages? Yes, I need look no further than my own neighborhood in Spanish Springs. The excellent job done by our local police departments alone is not enough.

We need to take care of ourselves and one another just as we would living anyplace else. We do not need to live in fear, but be aware that there are bad people and things that we are not insulated from. Need further proof? Look up the Florida Sex Offender Registry and see that some of these animals live in the Villages. Yes, I lock my doors.
JimT
-------------------------------------------------

JimT, thanks for the words of wisdom. Your comments are especially meaningful because of your experience in law enforcement. I know that I've been guilty of "Bubble Mentality" in the past. In future, I will heed your advice and be less complacent.

[chuckster]

Good reply dilly.........and I agree with your tips for looking out for neighbors.

[senior citizen]

Wow, senior citizen. What an articulate summation of this thread. B.K.

I don't know about articulate , however, I try to look at the bigger picture and what I see is that free speech is not too easily accepted by the powers that be. Maybe we've been yankees too long but are used to free speech.

I stopped posting last year sometime when one of my posts was removed because I used the word gay or lesbian, referring to some other post which I don't even recall right now.

Lately on the evening national news they have been referring to Vermont as the "gay state" simply because the powers that be up in Montpelier, our state capital, have allowed gay marriage. We take that with a grain of salt and don't go bashing the news media.

Although it is often considered a very liberal state, for the most part it is conservative people that reside here; people who are seeking a simple honest lifestyle. Everyone does have varying opinions but they are allowed to express themselves, ask questions and receive an honest response without being told it is negative or someone jumping in to paint a fantasy land picture. Every state and every community has very good things about it and also some negatives.

If there was a utopian community, no doubt we would have found it by now.
Another poster was correct about "marketing" with which we are familiar.
Just watch MAD MEN on AMC to see what good marketing can achieve.

No place is absolutely perfect, even if it does appear idyllic while on vacation.
New Englanders often dream of balmy Florida while mushing through another long frozen northern winter. However, it pays to know some truths before spending a small fortune in moving expenses. Been there, done that.

I'm more worried about the citrus fruit rats and snakes than I am about people cutting through my screened sliders or entering locked doors, but I know this post will be erased since I used the gay word or the critter word.

We just do not want to relocate without doing our research. Many things can be adjusted to if the desire to live there is strong enough, but I do value truth over fantasy. Not to mention freedom of speech over flowery words.

I do enjoy reading the differing opinions as this is exactly what our country was founded on. We've contemplated all winter long the merits of buying a house in TV with other retired folks; a place where the grandchildren can visit Disney World a short distance to the south of TV.....and freedom from ice and snow; lovely homes and a seemingly perfectly planned senior lifestyle which does have much going for it. Nuff said. Research still ongoing.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the posting re Harston Trail as well.

[Talk Host]

I stopped posting last year sometime when one of my posts was removed because I used the word gay or lesbian, referring to some other post which I don't even recall right now.
.

Not one time since the inception of this forum have the administrators ever deleted a post simply because somebody used the words "gay" or "lesbian." It takes a real breech of ethics in order to have a post removed. I don't know why or if your post was removed, but it was not because of those two words. If (IF) your post was removed, it was for some other far more serious reason.

Don't shift the blame for your actions back to the administrators.

[senior citizen]

Not one time since the inception of this forum have the administrators ever deleted a post simply because somebody used the words "gay" or "lesbian." It takes a real breech of ethics in order to have a post removed. I don't know why or if your post was removed, but it was not because of those two words. If (IF) your post was removed, it was for some other far more serious reason.

Don't shift the blame for your actions back to the administrators.

In my humble opinion, I was not shifting blame as you state.

I was simply stating a fact.

It's water under the bridge right now as I cannot even recall what I was replying to, however, I'm sure I committed no serious deed.

I think it might have been Tony. At the time I was reading about the various pet runs or something or other.

I know I posed NO DEROGATORY COMMENT. I'm certain of that.

Whoever was the talk host at the time privately emailed me and said the words might cause controversy. I can assure you I did not say anything at all that was bad. Nuff said. I can read between the lines.

[Talk Host]

In my humble opinion, I was not shifting blame as you state.

I was simply stating a fact.

It's water under the bridge right now as I cannot even recall what I was replying to, however, I'm sure I committed no serious deed.

I think it might have been Tony. At the time I was reading about the various pet runs or something or other.

I know I posed NO DEROGATORY COMMENT. I'm certain of that.

Whoever was the talk host at the time privately emailed me and said the words might cause controversy. I can assure you I did not say anything at all that was bad. Nuff said. I can read between the lines.


I was the Talk Host then and I am the Talk Host now. It is not water under the bridge. We take our responsibility very seriously and do not act lightly. I didn't send you a message saying those "words could cause controversy."

Any assertion that we remove posts for reasons other than egregious violations is untrue and unfair to the administrators who work hard every day to be fair to all our members. I don't know which lines you are ready between, but there are no hidden messages.

[senior citizen]

I was the Talk Host then and I am the Talk Host now. It is not water under the bridge. We take our responsibility very seriously and do not act lightly. I didn't send you a message saying those "words could cause controversy."

Any assertion that we remove posts for reasons other than egregious violations is untrue and unfair to the administrators who work hard every day to be fair to all our members. I don't know which lines you are ready between, but there are no hidden messages.

I admit I cannot exactly remember the exact words. I might have been commenting on something I was reading in "Leisureville" and I know I was asking a question, pertaining to what I had just read. I didn't save the post.

Someone who was the host did email me and said it might cause a problem. I do not remember the exact words. Problem, controversy. Sensitivity.
You get the drift.

I no longer have the book Leisureville as I passed it on to others who were interested in reading it. I'm sure you are doing a conscientious job at whatever your duties are. However, I know I said nothing bad. It's not me.
So, live and let live.

[graciegirl]

I'm glad that most on this forum are not afraid to speak forthrightly. You, plus many others, have heeded the warning by the original poster, not out of naivety but out of intelligent awareness that the world we live in today is not always safe and trustworthy. Living in a perceived bubble can have consequences.

To me the original post automatically made me think it was a scam in operation...........if no one was home, they would have burglarized the place. If someone was home, they became a cleaning crew. It's so obvious. Ditto for the "landscapers".

I do not believe it is an urban legend. I think honesty would be the best policy by TV instead of glossing over various issues or problems....and blaming the original poster for creating a stir via an urban legend.

Even safe places are no longer safe........due to drugs and just the crazies out there. No doubt these "crews" mistakenly think all retirees are weak, docile, senile or unaware of their scams. There is crime in Florida as well as rampant drug problems.......which could conceivably spread to even safe communities or "bubbles" like TV. Just read the daily Orlando Sentinel online.

Several years ago, even in Vermont, a low density relatively safe state where everyone knows each other in town........a band of "gypsies" (true gypsies as reported by our police) would try the same trick of entering via screen doors and roaming around the house in the early evening , searching for valuables such as jewelry, cash..........in the 1970's and before that, everyone kept their doors unlocked, their cars unlocked, etc...........however, in the recent past we all keep our doors locked, ditto for cars.

So many people come up from the cities and need money to support their drug habits; Vermonters, like Villagers, are perceived as an easy mark. Our detectives in town are aware of this influx and try to scoot them out of town and warn the merchants of this element coming up from N.Y.C. to rural towns.
They try to infiltrate the local youth and get them hooked on drugs. Times are changing.........even in ultra safe places. I'm sure TV is no exception with those who think they can prey on senior citizens. I think it was a timely post for the times we are living in.

We also have always lived in an ultra safe place, however, it is foolhardy to trust everyone nowadays. Better safe than sorry. An interrupted burglary could have dire conseuquences. The landscaping story made me think they were very suspicious characters. One thing about living in a smaller community is that your landscapers or lawn mowing maintenance guys are children of people you know, not strangers. Ditto for cleaning crews or whatever.

Up here we no longer open the door at all for solicitors, religious pamphlet people, insurance pedlers, tree surgeons or you name it...if we do not recognize them or have not invited them. And we do not live in a crime ridden state.

Murder is rare, but it does happen and when it does, it strikes home. Back in the 1980's while my husband was away for a weekend at deer hunting camp, my mailman warned me to keep all my doors and windows locked tight as there had been a murder at a gas station on the edge of town whereby a teen was shot dead during a robbery. They have never found the murderer.........probably someone passing through........however, at the time, it never crossed my mind to think our mailman was passing on an urban legend. I believed him and called all my neighbors as well. Better safe than sorry.

What I don't understand is why no one believes anyone? Most people are smart enough not to spread urban legends..........or I would hope so. Maybe I live in a bubble of trusting people "at their word".

Senior Citizen. In all due respect to you and this excellent post...I think I remember that you don't live here and you have never been here.

[bkcunningham1]

Gracie, if senior citizen will allow me, from a previous post responding to me, "We've contemplated all winter long the merits of buying a house in TV with other retired folks; a place where the grandchildren can visit Disney World a short distance to the south of TV.....and freedom from ice and snow; lovely homes and a seemingly perfectly planned senior lifestyle which does have much going for it. Nuff said. Research still ongoing.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the posting re Harston Trail as well."

[BobKat1]

Anyone think this topic is worthy of a poll?

Maybe something like, "when you are home, do you keep your doors and/or sliders locked?".

[graciegirl]

Gracie, if senior citizen will allow me, from a previous post responding to me, "We've contemplated all winter long the merits of buying a house in TV with other retired folks; a place where the grandchildren can visit Disney World a short distance to the south of TV.....and freedom from ice and snow; lovely homes and a seemingly perfectly planned senior lifestyle which does have much going for it. Nuff said. Research still ongoing.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the posting re Harston Trail as well."

BK.

I just don't want folks to misunderstand and to read a post that people are talking about life somewhere else and think that the writer is talking about life and about anecdotes here in TV.

Whether you are afraid or not, whether you have a permit to carry a gun or not, whether you feel very safe as I do.....we are all different people with different attitudes and different opinions, but. OH BUT, I don't want people who have never been here or may be thinking of coming here to get the idea that this is a dangerous place. I believe that it is one of the safest places in the country and in Florida to be sure.

The thought that these posts would deter someone from coming here and enjoying this wonderful place and all these wonderful.....very opinionated people (including me) just makes me so sad. I have not felt this kind of happiness since I was a carefree child.

[bkcunningham1]

BobKat1, it would mean more if you said, very basically without disclosing an address of course, where "home" is located. I have a home in a real gated community in North Carolina and in TV. In my home in NC, you don't get into our community without a pass or permission from a homeowner. The guards at the gate, even then, record license plates and vehicle types. Criminals have found ways around it. I keep my doors locked in both places. Even my screen door. I keep the doors in my automobile locked. If I'm waiting in the vehicle while my hubbie is pumping gas, much to his dismay, I lock the doors. Sorry, I'm a scarty cat. I don't watch horror movies. I think it is more of people's personalities. I have absolutely no examples or reasons to be afraid in either place. To me, it is like putting on my seatbelt. Reflex and habit. I don't plan on having an accident, but, just in case.

Gracie, I edited my post here because we ran into each other posting. LOL. I know you love it in TV. Trust me, we do too. I'm proud that you are an advocate and standup for your beliefs and the wonderful place we call home. Sometimes it is easy when just typing from the privacy of your home (office, or whereever) to get emotional and "type" things that seem out of context or offensive. Your very opinionated friend and lover of TV, B.K.

[dp000]

The paper towel gang was caught by police in Tall Trees this week. This is a fact !

[graciegirl]

The paper towel gang was caught by police in Tall Trees this week. This is a fact !

Please tell us more. Tell us how you heard it or saw it.

[Walt.]

In Miami every now and then you would read about a serial rapist in some neighborhood. The story would go on about his 6 (pick a number) victims and indicate there were probably many more unreported. Eventually they would get to the part where the rapist entered through an unlocked sliding door. Do people leave doors unlocked just so they can say they do?

Do you avoid annual check-ups because you're not sick? No seatbelts because you're a good driver? How about letting the grandkids play around the pool unattended with no life vests... because "Nah... they won't fall in."

I'm guessing the Clutter Family didn't lock their doors. That didn't work out too well.

Just some random thoughts...

[Bogie Shooter]

The paper towel gang was caught by police in Tall Trees this week. This is a fact !
:blahblahblah:

[billethkid]

Fire Chielf Tucker's memo to Janet Tutt.
I would copy and paste the memo in it's entirety but I am not sure that is not a violation.

I do think it appropriate to present here the last paragraph of the Chief's memo:

"The misinformation being transmitted via email has accomplished scaring several
property owners, but it does not appear to point to a rash of illegal entry incidents by
criminals. VCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the
respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken. Staff
continues to encourage residents to contact law enforcement in situations where they feel
threatened or witness a violation of the law."

I assume others have seen the issue from the VCDD. It is most likely available on their web site....I haven't looked there myself.

btk

[dp000]

I talked, personally, to the person who was approached by a "paper towel" person. She asked them to leave and then called the police. The police came and caught them while they were still on the same street where this person lives, in Tall Trees. That is "straight from the horse's mouth." The Sumter Co. police should be able to verify this, if you wish to call them.

[Pturner]

What I don't understand is why no one believes anyone? Most people are smart enough not to spread urban legends..........or I would hope so. Maybe I live in a bubble of trusting people "at their word".

I don't understand why you draw the conclusions that "no one believes anyone". Remember, that the initial post stated, "We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval sitting in their living room. ...Please pass this on to everyone you know..."

Unless the poster's neighbor who sent her the email was personally at the friends house in Duval when such-and-such happened, (s) he was repeating an urban legion. Everyone else who did as instructed and "pass(ed) this along to everyone they know" sent emails claiming: "We were at a friends house yesterday in Duval..." even though they weren't.

Here's how Snopes.com defines an Urban Legion:
An "urban legend" is not the same thing as a "fictional tale" or an "apocryphal anecdote," although many people mistakenly use the term in that sense (e.g., "That's not true; it's just an urban legend!"). A tale is considered to be an urban legend if it circulates widely, is told and re-told with differing details (or exists in multiple versions), and is said to be true. Whether or not the events described in the tale ever actually occurred is irrelevant to its classification (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/info/ul-def.asp) as an urban legend.
Bottom line: The initial poster's neighbor was NOT "at a friend's house in Duval yesterday..." as the post insinuated, but the story was circulated widely and told and retold. Another words, it was an urban legion.

The initial poster believed the story because she received the email from a trustworthy friend. However, it turns out that neither the initial poster nor the trustworthy friend were at the friend's house in Duval, as the post claims. The trustworthy friend knew the trustworthy friend from whom (s)he received the email. The trustworthy-friend-once-removed might have been at a friend's house in Duval, or might just have passed along the email to everyone she knew as instructed-- because she received it from a trustworthy friend.

The statement that "most people are smart enough not to spread urban legions" is probably true. However, if thousands of people did not spread urban legions-- probably unwittingly-- there would be no such thing as urban legions!


As the words of a song-- and urban legions-- go, she "heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another..."
:sing:

[Bogie Shooter]

I talked, personally, to the person who was approached by a "paper towel" person. She asked them to leave and then called the police. The police came and caught them while they were still on the same street where this person lives, in Tall Trees. That is "straight from the horse's mouth." The Sumter Co. police should be able to verify this, if you wish to call them.

This post makes more sense. At least it has source information.

[Talk Host]

I think I've lost track of where we are on this. Is it still an urban legend or has it been deemed to be true. If its now true, what about that memo, or was the memo about something else and is the fire department now investigating criminal complaints or is the sheriff? :sing:

[pooh]

I think I've lost track of where we are on this. Is it still an urban legend or has it been deemed to be true. If its now true, what about that memo, or was the memo about something else and is the fire department now investigating criminal complaints or is the sheriff? :sing:

Guess there is some truth to the story. Playing golf with neighborhood friends yesterday and one of the ladies told us of a lady in the neighborhood going to her friend's house carrying a roll of paper towels. The lady was told to "hit the road" so to speak, and she headed to a van driven by a male. Not sure what's happening, but something is up. The Daily Sun even carried a story about how to deal with unwanted solicitors. Time to stay alert. No area is totally without predators.

[Pturner]

I think I've lost track of where we are on this. Is it still an urban legend or has it been deemed to be true. If its now true, what about that memo, or was the memo about something else and is the fire department now investigating criminal complaints or is the sheriff? :sing:

According to the memo, FD was sent to investigate a rumor. FD concluded that something similar to the Duval part of the story had apparently occurred (i.e., a uniformed yard crewman attempted to enter a vacant house allegedly to determine if it was the location where he had a contract for new service.)

The memo states that the email originator had no direct knowledge of the alleged paper towel/shower lady incident-- a story oft repeated in many variations which might in some variations be true.

It's interesting to me that the orginator of the email told the FD investigator, according to the memo, that she did not feel it necessary to contact law enforcement, and yet she sent an alarming email discussing "a false sense of security," and urging everyone to lock up and pass along the anecdote to everyone they knew.

The memo stated: "As with all rumors, there are some parts that are factual while the majority of the story – especially when spoken – takes on a slightly different life than when passed along as gospel in the written form of an email."

TH-- re-read Snope's definition of "urban legend" and explain how this doesn't fit.

I am not claiming that the email orignator was not well intentioned. She probably was.

[dillywho]

I still cannot see what possible harm it does to be safe. I much prefer that to the alternative. If nothing bad comes your way, what have you lost? Should you lose sleep over all of this? Absolutely not! All anyone is asking is for you to just be aware. I just can't for the life of me understand why some are so close to calling others less than truthful for attempting to be helpful.

Some on here have said that law enforcement will not respond if you call them anyway. That is not the way I interpreted the newspaper article, either. The direct quote from Lt. Bobby Caruthers in the article was: "Any time you have doubts, feel free to call your local law enforcement". "It's better for us to check it out than for you to become a victim". (Solicitors...Page C5, Daily Sun, April 16, 2010)

If they recognize that there is the possibility of a problem or that it already exists, then why don't all of us?

[Chuckw]

Just received this today:

Dear VCC Members please note the following concerning the distribution of recent emails:

Memorandum
To: Janet Tutt, District Manager
From: Michael S. Tucker, E.F.O. Fire Chief
Re: Email Concern
Date: April 14, 2010
On Monday, April 12th, VCCDD staff began to receive an unusual amount of email originating from a single individual within the community. The email was entitled "Keep your doors locked." The email described some situations in which homeowners had experienced either someone in their home, or attempting to enter their home. Due to the number of emails as well as the resulting aura of "fear" resulting from these emails, staff made contact with the individual originating the email in an effort to gain a better understanding of the situation.
Battalion Chief Scott Wilder was able to make contact and discovered that, as with all rumors, there are some parts that are factual while the majority of the story – especially when spoken – takes on a slightly different life than when passed along as gospel in the written form of an email. The individual initiating the email had, in fact, been at a friend's home as the friend was preparing to move into the new home. At this point the home was vacant and the two individuals were sitting on the floor. While sitting there, a man fertilizing a neighbor's yard did attempt to open the door. The individual in question was in fact wearing a uniform of the company he worked for and a company vehicle was witnessed in the area as well. When approached, the individual stated that he was trying to locate a new client for whom he was supposed to provide service.
At this point the "fertilizer man" and the two individuals parted ways, and neither of the individuals felt it necessary to contact law enforcement. Battalion Chief Wilder has also been in contact with Sumter County Sheriff's Office to advise them of the situation and to determine if any other similar situations had been reported. To date no other similar situations have been reported. In retrospect the situation involving the "fertilizer man" appears to be a serious error in judgment as to how this man conducted business and not an attempt to illegally enter private property.

2 Battalion Chief Wilder also inquired as to her including a description of the second
incident in which a homeowner came out of the shower to discover a woman in her home holding paper towels. At this point in the conversation the email initiator stated that she did not have any factual information of this incident, and stated that she had only "heard" about this incident at a "social" function. This same incident was described to VCCDD staff more than a year ago as well. When asked about this incident Sumter County Sherriff's personnel also did not have any reports of an illegal entry described other than the rumored incident.
The misinformation being transmitted via email has accomplished scaring several
property owners, but it does not appear to point to a rash of illegal entry incidents by
criminals. VCCDD staff is continuing to work with the law enforcement agencies of the respective jurisdictions to determine if any further actions need to be taken. Staff continues to encourage residents to contact law enforcement in situations where they feel threatened or witness a violation of the law.

[Bogie Shooter]

Chuck how is your posting of the memo different than the one I posted??

[Pturner]

I still cannot see what possible harm it does to be safe. I much prefer that to the alternative. If nothing bad comes your way, what have you lost? Should you lose sleep over all of this? Absolutely not! All anyone is asking is for you to just be aware. I just can't for the life of me understand why some are so close to calling others less than truthful for attempting to be helpful.

Some on here have said that law enforcement will not respond if you call them anyway. That is not the way I interpreted the newspaper article, either. The direct quote from Lt. Bobby Caruthers in the article was: "Any time you have doubts, feel free to call your local law enforcement". "It's better for us to check it out than for you to become a victim". (Solicitors...Page C5, Daily Sun, April 16, 2010)

If they recognize that there is the possibility of a problem or that it already exists, then why don't all of us?

Hi Dillywho,
I think most of us do recogize the possibility of a problem. If you were referencing my posts, I don't think I came close to calling the original poster less than truthful as I acknowledged both her good intentions and that she received the email from a trustworthy source. I merely responded to TH's question about whether it was an "urban legend".

Once again, from Snopes: "Whether or not the events described in the tale ever actually occurred is irrelevant to its classification (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/info/ul-def.asp) as an urban legend."

Here's another definition, from Wikipedia:
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or, more accurately, a contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Folklore) consisting of apocryphal stories (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Apocrypha) believed by their tellers to be true. As with all folklore and mythology, the designation suggests nothing about the story's factuality or falsehood, but merely that it is in non-institutional circulation, exhibits variation over time, and carries some significance that motivates the community in preserving and propagating it....

Urban legends are sometimes repeated in news stories and, in recent years, distributed by e-mail (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/E-mail). People frequently allege that such tales happened to a "friend of a friend (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Friend_of_a_friend)" -- so often, in fact, that "friend of a friend," ("FOAF") has become a commonly used term when recounting this type of story.

I did not say and do not allege that the incident (or some variation of it) never happened. I do say that its "non-institutional circulation," (sincere, I believe) motivation for community circulation and "FOAF" content fits the definition of an urban legend.

[tony]

Good grief. What is FOAF?

:shrug:

[Talk Host]

Good grief. What is FOAF?

:shrug:

Friend of a Friend :1rotfl:

[captain1202]

1) On two occasions when our alarm was accidentally tripped, the Marion County Sheriff responded with 3-5 minutes in a very professional manner. Always checked the house even though we assured them all was OK. They explained it was in case we being coerced into making them think it was clear. Good police work in my opinion.

2) In the 3 years we've been here we have seen "Suspicious Persons" around the neighborhood on several occasions. They are around. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

[bkcunningham1]

You know Tony. From the REO Speedwagon song, Heard it FAF who heard it FAF who heard it FAN you've been MAO. They say you got a BF...

[dillywho]

Hi Dillywho,
I think most of us do recogize the possibility of a problem. If you were referencing my posts, I don't think I came close to calling the original poster less than truthful as I acknowledged both her good intentions and that she received the email from a trustworthy source. I merely responded to TH's question about whether it was an "urban legend".

Once again, from Snopes: "Whether or not the events described in the tale ever actually occurred is irrelevant to its classification (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/info/ul-def.asp) as an urban legend."

Here's another definition, from Wikipedia:
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or, more accurately, a contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Folklore) consisting of apocryphal stories (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Apocrypha) believed by their tellers to be true. As with all folklore and mythology, the designation suggests nothing about the story's factuality or falsehood, but merely that it is in non-institutional circulation, exhibits variation over time, and carries some significance that motivates the community in preserving and propagating it....

Urban legends are sometimes repeated in news stories and, in recent years, distributed by e-mail (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/E-mail). People frequently allege that such tales happened to a "friend of a friend (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/wiki/Friend_of_a_friend)" -- so often, in fact, that "friend of a friend," ("FOAF") has become a commonly used term when recounting this type of story.

I did not say and do not allege that the incident (or some variation of it) never happened. I do say that its "non-institutional circulation," (sincere, I believe) motivation for community circulation and "FOAF" content fits the definition of an urban legend.

Pt,
I'm sorry if I offended you in any way...that certainly was not what I was trying to do. What I said was not aimed at anyone specifically. I have just noticed that too often when someone on TOTV tries to call attention to something they feel is important, they are challenged as to its validity and I cannot understand why. Again, I apologize. (Maybe it should have been a new thread entirely.)

[graciegirl]

Pt,
I'm sorry if I offended you in any way...that certainly was not what I was trying to do. What I said was not aimed at anyone specifically. I have just noticed that too often when someone on TOTV tries to call attention to something they feel is important, they are challenged as to its validity and I cannot understand why. Again, I apologize. (Maybe it should have been a new thread entirely.)

I am the one that mistakenly thought this was an old thread. Sometimes the administrators will restart a topic that was of interest. When I saw a couple of posters comment that I haven't seen for a LONG while on here, I jumped to that conclusion and I am sorry.

I still feel safe here. I don't see solicitors. Haven't seen one since the week we moved in two years ago. If I did see any.....ANY...........I would report it. I am one of the reasons this thread got out of hand.

I just went out and got the paper and the front door is unlocked. Neighbor will be over for coffee in a few minutes.

I had to unlock the door to get the paper. We always lock at night.Husband is in the kitchen fixing bacon and eggs. Daughter is roaming around opening blinds and looking out windows with cup of coffee in hand. I am typing here and appearing argumentative.

Please all just be happy. Lock or unlock as you please. Be safe, be aware. Watch out for each other.

One of the reasons I feel safe is that all of you are watching and reporting what happens.

Of course you are right Dillywho. I did sound like I discredited the first poster. I am sorry.

[Pturner]

Pt,
I'm sorry if I offended you in any way...that certainly was not what I was trying to do. What I said was not aimed at anyone specifically. I have just noticed that too often when someone on TOTV tries to call attention to something they feel is important, they are challenged as to its validity and I cannot understand why. Again, I apologize. (Maybe it should have been a new thread entirely.)

Hi Dillywho, just want to let you know that your post did not offend me at all! I love the back and forth within the TOTV community and the different perspectives people bring to the table. I enjoy your posts.

[Chuckw]

It is different in that it comes directly from the source (Director of Public Safety) rather than a report of something that someone I talked to found out... I think that in a courtroom that is called heresay... If you feel that the memo from Chief Tucker is duplicative to what you have already come to believe, then please feel free to ignore it.

Chuckw