House Robbed
 

We have a good friend in Stonecrest subdivision that had her house broken into with $$$$ and valuables stolen.
She came home after being gone for a couple days Sunday morning and found this mess.

Beware, they're out there

Good to know. We're targets, and not just for scams.

I recall an incident some twenty-odd years ago. My wife and I had just purchased a house in Minnesota and one Saturday morning, a gentleman knocked on the door. My wife came and got me from the garden to talk to the gentleman. Turns out that he was representing a home security alarm company and was in the neighborhood trying to peddle his system. As a new homeowner we were eligible for a 50% discount, system and installation. Only kicker was that it had to be done today.

I looked at him and said slowly: I have security. .38 caliber security. My wife, too.

He turned, walked quickly back to his van, and took off without another word.

Sometimes being able to protect yourself is the way to go.

Wyze security system camera inexpensive

How does this work if you are gone for a few days?

Ring camera

This is a surprise to read. I've bought a home and will be moving down next week. Hadn't even thought of needing a security system in the Villages.

StoneCrest is outside and north of The Villages

Crime in The Villages itself seems to be extremely low

Crime
 

Not what I hear on social media. Many folks in the villages have told stories of cars being broken into, some folks have said they can't leave any garden tools out on their lawn for fear of them being taken. One story was that someone in TV was working on their lawn, left the tools out on the lawn, (not by the curb), only to find the tools missing when he came back after finishing his lunch. Just what I have read.....

Sorry relying on social media to get info is never a priority for what actually happens, for me. What’s posted from sheriffs office is what source I use.

Poor Man down the street told everyone all of his tools were stolen from his garage. In reality his wife sold them, due to his failing health, and couple of mishaps, that hospital visits were required

My wife and I are rarely gone together for more than a few hours, and never at night, so to be honest I don't worry about it much.

My brother has a good method though. Hang one of those human silhouette targets on the inside of his screen door. With about 20 bullet holes in it. or a motion sensor that sets off a recording of a VERY large growling dog.

I do know a guy though, Joe, (352) 391 2894, who runs a transportation/house watching service. He's ex - law enforcement so he knows his stuff. If we're planning on being gone for a period of time I'd certainly call him and set something up.

In our neighborhood it is relatively common, if you have some stuff that is still usable but you don't want to go through the rigmarole of advertising and selling it, to leave it on your lawn by the edge of the street, usually the afternoon before the garbage is picked up. Apparently there are people who drive around and look for that sort of thing. My new printer gets here on Wednesday so I plan on doing that very thing with the old one.

My thought is that thieves as a rule probably don't steal things like lawn and garden tools, though I am sure there are exceptions. Hand lawn and gardening tools aren't worth much unless you plan on using them and my thought is that thieves steal things so they DON'T have to work. Maybe the tools were seen and the assumption was made that they were left out there free for the taking.

Very often people put out stuff by the curb of some value that they do not want anymore the day before garbage pickup and the logical assumption is it is free for the taking.

“What I hear”
“Told stories”
“ some folks have said “
“One story “
Whole lot of hearsay rumors…………

Doesn’t help when you’re not home. Before we bought I studied the rate and type of crime in the various areas. I am surprised about Stonecrest, but only a little. I hope the people involved had excellent insurance.

Funny story about this:

Someone had a wooden desk at the curb marked "Free".
It sat there for days
Next, he attached a price of $50.
I was gone by morning.

I would not advertise that you have weapons, that is a good reason for somebody to break in.

In my younger days when I attended Bible College I was studying to be a Bible translator. One of the things we were taught, make the book available for anyone who wants one. But never give it away for free. Studies showed people who were given a free Bible often threw it into the next available trash can. People who had to pay $1 for it, usually took it home.

Did someone steal it?

Stonecrest is like 30 to 40 minutes from Brownwood - and probably 10 to 15 min from Spanish Springs - it’s not in the Villages. There were probably 5 to 10 homes broken into within a 30 minute radius of the Villages this weekend.
Can we get a post on each one please?

Jus give it time.

:ohdear:

I really do wish we could get/give more details of robbery's in our area, but I'm sure it would interfere with solving most cases.

I put an old work bench with a saw horse to the curb. I made a nice "Free" sign out of some scrap lumber with a pointer on a swivel for future use .

My security camera recorded a guy who stopped, looked over the stuff, then loaded the "Free" sign into his cart.

Suspect inside job, somebody knew she was gone?

What if the come in back door?

Robbery
 

It can’t be a robbery if no one’s home, just a burglary and theft. For a robbery to take place a person must be present, then was a weapon present or was it strong arm, different degrees of robbery.Still a terrible thing to have happen.

SOMEONE authorized the burglars to be there. That's an actual gated community.

Unless maybe they got one of those handy dandy gate openers that get promoted by various Villagers here on ToTV, to bypass the need for an actual gate card.

Stonecrest is right next door to the Villages on the northeast side of 441 (the historic side). We share a golf cart path between Aldi's and Walmart.

Why not just report on what you have personally witnessed.

You are 100% correct, thanks.
It was burglary and theft not a robbery as stated

No crime is hidden well in The Villages

Alarm Systems
 

I lived in N.Y.C., N.J. and upstate N.Y. and have always had alarm systems. My wife is now in a wheelchair, and I have cameras throughout the house, so I can check on her when I'm out of the house. Though I'm not against guns, I own one myself. It's a lot safer to put the stay alarm on then to be half asleep with a firearm in your hand.

Cheap camera with motion detection. Will send alert to your phone if any movement detected.

Amazon.com

I have one in the garage so that I can check to see if I forgot to close the garage door.

In the daytime you just have to tell them you're going to play golf. They'll give you a pass and let you in. Pretty much the same if tell them you're going to dinner there.
:bigbow::bigbow:

You can have a RING camera in the back as well as other places outside/inside your home.

:clap2::clap2:

Yeah stupid people! I know this guy/girl has guns but I will take my chances on breaking in anyway :bigbow. By the way we are anonymous on this site if we choose to be

Probably your neighbors
 

Things got stolen in pleasantville and somehow it brought color to life….

I shoot better before my coffee. Less twitchy

We all have the option of believing or not believing what we hear or read. I don't believe anyone would report the theft of garden tools if it did not happen. In fact, it was reported on this forum.
And for those that cannot fully comprehend what they have read, as I said in my first post, it was reported that the tools in question WERE NOT LEFT NEAR THE CURB.

How long does it take to for a robber to rob!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, what makes you think The Village People are saints living in Fort Knox!