Check your lug nuts ... vandalism?
 

Last evening I was in Sweetbay parking lot and noticed a gentleman checking out his golf car. I asked him if he was in need of assistance and he told me something which concerned me. He had parked his golf car at Lake Sumter Landing during the entertainment time. When it was time to leave, he made it as far as Sweetbay until he had to move the golf car into the parking lot because it was not handling very well. Lo and behold he discovered that someone had removed ALL 4 lug nuts on the front right side of the car. His wife showed up with a lug nut wrench in order for him to remove one lug nut from each of the other 3 tires in order for him to make it safely home. We both commented as to the "hootspa" someone had to take the time to remove the nuts in the first place. He surmises that he was observed walking away from the car and was not in view of it during his time in the Square.
:gc::undecided:

ok anyone notice someone sitting by a golf cart last night on the square taking off lug nuts..:cus: Hope someone noticed,,,between gas and lug nuts missing i hope someone can help them

I am amazed that he made it from LSL to Sweetbay without the wheel falling off!!

That is at least a half mile journey.

I think its more than hootspa, its more like criminal. That man could have been injured or killed if the golf cart flipped over or went out of control and hit another car or person. The person who did this is a horrible human being.:cus:

Just curious because we were at Sumter Landing last night for the first time in a long time, where were you parked??? We were parked in front of Red Sauce and were sitting on the wood terrace area at the end near City Fire. There was a group of young people that were obnoxious, smoking etc up there. Do any of the establishments have cameras?

That is exactly what Sweetie said.

This is another reason to have cameras in areas around the villages.

What about drunk old people??

It seems like more than chutzpah to me, it seems like criminal mischief. Why would anyone want to do something that would leave someone disabled on the road? I wonder if he was followed out of the square? I am very glad he wasn't hurt and was able to get help from his wife. If I were alone I would have NO idea what was happening. This is really scary. How could this have happened in a crowded place and not have been witnessed/noticed by anyone? That poor guy.

This sounds like a serious crime if the culprits are caught. I sure hope someone got this on security tape. If I were you, I would call the Sumter County Sheriff's Office about this as they might be able to get a picture of where your golf cart was parking from some security camera.

Have no idea if the Villages Sumter Square web camera records or not.

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I was not parked at LSL. The gentleman I spoke to was parked with his golf car at LSL.

Who carries around a lug nut wrench to loosen lug nuts on tires anyway? It's not like you can put it in your pocket. Also I too wonder how anyone can just sit down at start loosening lug nuts in public. Maybe someone did notice but thought they were actually tightening them or fixing their own cart? Was this cart down some side road in LSL?

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I was thinking the same thing? Pretty obvious unless the cart was parked out back somewhere. Someone must have seen this. I know I would have asked anyone removing a wheel. What are you doing? " Do you need some help?

This incident only further points up that if anyone sees anything suspicious going on they should report it to 911 as quickly as possible. Self policing our own little piece on heaven is our responsibility.

Original story sounds suspect based on recent questions posed by others........

Anybody know where his wife was at during this time. Think I saw this one on Perry Mason. Just the facts Maaammmm........

Sadly, it's a common enough "prank" that can have dire consequences. A friend of mine had the lug nuts loosened (not removed) from his Firebird. He was doing about 80 when the wheel came off. Fortunately, he wasn't killed, but he was seriously injured.

I do believe that it was probably kids -- one of those dare ya things (can you get away with it in public?) who have no idea of the possible consequences.

Pranks of this nature are much more common during holidays and summers in TV. Older grandkids do get bored.

Not 100% sure it was kids theory. There are also lots and lots of mean adults here also. Odd behavior by adults because of medicine or just old age. Maybe a little to quick to point fingers a the grandkids.Think I seen a post way back on something just like this.Taking it with a grain of salt.

don't know if cart owner had some worked done recently, perhaps. Also I wonder if lug nuts loosened themselves. If it was intentional better chance it was kids viv a vis adults.

Irrespective of who what when, etc it is a good remainder that each of us should be more detail in our golf cart maintenance. Iam going to check out my golf cart carefully for anyhting loose and low on fluids.

Well, I hope that the gentleman who had his golf cart lug nuts removed sees this thread on TOTV and calls the police or had already called the police.

May I just say from being on here a LOT that Tkret, the OP, is a very responsible and accurate poster.

"AND"? Could the poster have his facts correct?

Cannot imagine why the man with the lug nut problem would make this up. And I can see some drunk malcontent doing this. Not sure if he/she though would be a 20 something or teen.

I'd like to think that most adults in TV would be well aware of how dangerous loosening or removing lug nuts would be. It could also have been done by kids from nearby towns, but I'll stand with the theory of visiting grandkids. Many kids wouldn't have a clue or at least wouldn't think of worst case scenarios. Boredom causes some really stupid decisions.

The reason I'm quicker to blame visiting grandkids is because of the simple fact that there are more acts of vandalism occurring during winter, spring and summer breaks (and usually in neighborhoods where kids are visiting). Younger kids are too busy having fun here but, let's face it, there really isn't all that much for older teens (say 15-18). The kids that live near here are very aware of the fact that their parents', neighbors', friends', relatives' livelihood depends on The Villages. They rarely cause problems in TV, according to some of the Sheriffs I've talked to.

What would keep a rim & tire on if all 4 lug nuts were removed???

Going slow and not making any sudden turns would be my guess.

That was Dragnet! :laugh:

I don't see a straight line route between LSL square and Sweetbay's.

As long as we're guessing, I once had a vehicle that I couldn't get the rim off because it had rusted to the axle behind the bolts. I pryed it with a crowbar and beat it with a sledgehammer and still couldn't get it to budge. Maybe that's how it stayed on the cart (yes, I removed the nuts first! :laugh:).

Maybe, he got lucky.

In 1983, I travelled from Salt Lake City all the way to Denver with a front end tire rod that was put on backwards by a Shell gas station that wrongly told a very naive traveller that it was on poorly to begin with and damaging the car's tires. We ended up being part of the cause of this Shell Salt Lake City gas station closing after the fight my father had with this gas station.

The mechanic at the gas station that I barely made it into just inside the Denver city limits said I was very lucky to get more than 100 miles with the tire rod on backwards. It had ruined both front tires.

I don't doubt the OP for a minute. However, I have my doubts of the story he was told.

I am with you on this one.Think someone just told a story or a line to him.

My take too.I think there had to be one lug nut on still. Tkret is a person who reports what he hears accurately.

too little info. perhaps the last time his tire were mounted the lugs weren't tightened and the last of them had finally worked itself off? who knows, it could happen :MOJE_whot:

This hardly sounds like a scenario in which someone would make up a story just to get attention.

I buy into this as being a fairly plausible concept.

Bill :)

Nothing but corrosion or rust from the rim to the hub. I would think first hard turn right then left and off comes the wheel.

The problem with all of us amateur detectives, here in TV is that we are honest caring people and as such probably cannot imagine how nasty people can really be.

We think too logically and has been shown here try and make sense of it all.

There doesn't have to be a reason,a motive anything other than the thought struck me and i decided when I went out to remove some guys lug nuts

Personally and I said it before it could have easily been lug nuts that were not tightened properly and came loose. I have see this scenario re-enacted many times with autos and eventful the wheel comes off and flys into an oncoming car.