[Nlnicholson]

Burglary victim urges Villagers to take photos to protect their neighbors
March 9, 2014 By Meta Minton Leave a Comment

Entry was gained to this Hemingway home through a rear window.
A Hemingway couple is hoping a break-in at their home will serve as a warning to their fellow Villagers.
“Everybody has a cell phone and that phone has a camera. If you see a car or someone out of place in your neighborhood, take a picture,” said Al DuBuc.
His home at the corner of Mandrake and Arvin in the Village of Hemingway was broken into this past Wednesday night while he and his wife Marge were out playing cards.
They were at Laurel Manor Recreation Center that evening between 5 and 7:30 p.m.
During that time, someone forced in a rear window at their home. Once inside, the burglar took cash and rare coins, some of them given to Al by his grandfather.
He believes the burglar was still inside the home when he and his wife returned that evening. He thinks the opening of the garage door prompted the burglar to flee.
“As long as we are viewed as a fertile hunting ground for these predators, it is our responsibility to help ourselves and our neighbors,” Al said.
He believes the best weapons at Villagers’ disposal are their smart phones.
He encouraged fellow Villagers to use the cameras in their phones to take pictures of anyone or anything in their neighborhood that seems out of place.
In their case, a white sedan was spotted outside their Hemingway home.
Another burglary was reported to have taken place Wednesday in the Village of Bridgeport at Lake Miona. (You can read details of that break-in at http://www.**************.com/home-v...zed-wednesday/) In that case, a white sedan was also spotted.
If a picture of the car had been taken, law enforcement might have a make, model or license plate to use to try to find the culprits, DuBuc said.
The DuBucs moved to The Villages in 2008 from the Detroit area.
“I had never had a break in in my life,” Marge said. “I felt very safe here.”
Their home is located off a busy roadway. There is plenty of automobile and golf cart traffic and numerous dogwalkers in the immediate area.
Last week, Community Development District 5 Supervisor Chuck Wildzunas issued a similar warning to residents of Winifred after a burglary in that Village. (You can read Wildzunas’ call for neighborhood vigilance at (http://www.**************.com/cdd-5-...glary-village/.)

[KathieI]

These bad guys are getting more and more brazen, they are not afraid of people walking by. I think this latest victim is 100% correct, we need to help ourselves and our neighbors. If you see anyone or anything like a car that you feel doesn't belong in your neighborhood, take a picture of it and/or them and make it obvious that you are because they will realize we are getting tougher and smarter than they are. Intimidate them, don't be afraid to. I chased off some people lurking near my house where there is a private property sign and they had just completely ignored it. But they ran when they thought the cops were coming.

We're not getting paranoid just smarter. This is getting wayyyy out of hand.

[Bay Kid]

There is no fear of going to court, or to jail. Take PICTURES!

[dmorhome]

how about the camera's at gates of this so called gated comm.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by dmorhome

how about the camera's at gates of this so called gated comm.

How would anyone know who the bad guys are?


Just driving through gates? Anyone can. Thousands do. I doubt that they are wearing a burglar outfit.


How do they KNOW when people aren't there? That is what I would like to know. They have to watch.


WATCH BACK!


The streets in most villages are deserted except for folks who live there walking by. Cars are recognized. We had a list in Hadley of all owners cars in the neighborhood made up by a smart neighbor.


I think if a strange or out of place car or vehicle is parked somewhere, take a picture of it's license number. We aren't a bunch of old fools, we are folks to be reckoned with, with time on our hands.

[applesoffh]

Originally Posted by dmorhome

how about the camera's at gates of this so called gated comm.

This is not a gated community. We were told that by our realtor as soon as we began looking for a house.

[Happinow]

These break-ins are very sad. People are saying that one of the best ways to prevent them is to be aware and use our cell phones. Have these thieves broken into homes that have alarm systems?? Not that I have heard. So the common sense thing to do is put in an alarm system. It will give you piece of mind. Then you won't have to worry if your next!!!

[nitehawk]

What is going on ??????I am finding it harder and harder to defend paradise first it was std now its a burglary every other day ---- what gives ---- usually burglaries are associated with drugs --- please we are doing what we can to help prevent the crime ---- go to the source --- where is the local pd --- giving out tickets for golf carts going 23 mph. Lets get with it--obviously -- we have a drug problem in the area - as do most places. --- I would like to see some arrest for drug possession and sales - would be a good start. Maybe a patrol car in our neighborhood would help --- if a criminal does not see the presence of police --- (not the community patrol) --its a free pass --- police presence reduces crime ------ I am sure the taxes collected by the county could afford more police to patrol ---- It would also help the officers to familiarize themselves the area they are responsible for... as of now ill bet the local pd has to use a gps to respond to any give address in tv --- officers should be able to respond to a give address and know the area and know the problem areas ----- patrol the village streets ---- we pay enough taxes and crime is on the increase

[terrieb]

We come to the Villages every December to enjoy the place, the weather, and people. This past year we were there in December 2013 and January, 2014. We wanted to experience "peak" season to see what it was like. We did have some problems getting tee times at the times we wanted but we adjusted, we did have to go to restaurants earlier than we were used to to avoid crowds and waiting in line, but we adjusted. We were on autopilot "defensive driving constantly with both hands on the wheel in case anyone decided they wanted to share our lane which we adjusted to but at times very, very scary. But we were amazed from all our visits to the Villages, the amount of burglaries in all areas of the Villages. A little alarming but with a 55+ community of all senior ages and more vulnerable than the younger crowd, I am not surprised. In earlier years of our stays, a lot of the residents would claim they would not lock their doors or feel the need to close their garage doors because there was no crime in The Villages. Well it seems like the word got out to a lot of opportunists that see an easy entry. With all the recent burglaries as well as the ones that were reported while we were there in December and January, amounts to a lot of crime in the Villages. With size and various crowds coming and staying in the Villages, I am beginning to think word of mouth of not locking doors or windows or garage doors open is an open invitation to the crooks of the world. Be careful what you say to strangers you encounter. They may not seem as friendly as you might think. I can't count on my fingers or toes the comments in all my stays in the Villages of where residents comment this fact of not locking up their homes.

[Villager Joyce]

In a friend's neighborhood, one neighbor purchased a ream of bright pink paper. Each neighbor was requested to put the paper on the dash of the car when the car was parked outside. It was easy to spot a car that didn't belong there. There was a different color for visitor cars. It stopped the problem quickly because every neighbor took pictures of every car and license plate that didn't have the colored paper. Sounds silly, but problem solved.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

What is going on ??????I am finding it harder and harder to defend paradise first it was std now its a burglary every other day ---- what gives ---- usually burglaries are associated with drugs --- please we are doing what we can to help prevent the crime ---- go to the source --- where is the local pd --- giving out tickets for golf carts going 23 mph. Lets get with it--obviously -- we have a drug problem in the area - as do most places. --- I would like to see some arrest for drug possession and sales - would be a good start. Maybe a patrol car in our neighborhood would help --- if a criminal does not see the presence of police --- (not the community patrol) --its a free pass --- police presence reduces crime ------ I am sure the taxes collected by the county could afford more police to patrol ---- It would also help the officers to familiarize themselves the area they are responsible for... as of now ill bet the local pd has to use a gps to respond to any give address in tv --- officers should be able to respond to a give address and know the area and know the problem areas ----- patrol the village streets ---- we pay enough taxes and crime is on the increase

I think a most significant "goings on" contributor is that there is now a news source providing information to TV residents that was not being reported by the Daily Sun.

And recently even these incidents are being reported in the Daily Sun and the alternate dot com news source, hence while repetitive is like throwing a little more kindling onto a dying fire...therefore it never goes out.

Then there are the weekly re-caps of the prior weeks/months news and the same incidents are reported again.

Add to the above the repetitive threads sometimes about the same event.

All together it seems like more than the isolated incidents really are. It has been said many times that for a community of our size we are among the safest and lowest crime rates.

Many cities in the world would aspire to level of real security we have here in TV....including the places we grew up and or moved from.
Let's keep informed but let us not distort the true reality of the life style that we have here.

There is no intent on my part to minimize those who have been violated....having had it happen to us many years ago in a different state, it really does shake one's confidence and scares the sensibility from us.

Just lobbying for perspective.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

What is going on ??????I am finding it harder and harder to defend paradise first it was std now its a burglary every other day ---- what gives ---- usually burglaries are associated with drugs --- please we are doing what we can to help prevent the crime ---- go to the source --- where is the local pd --- giving out tickets for golf carts going 23 mph. Lets get with it--obviously -- we have a drug problem in the area - as do most places. --- I would like to see some arrest for drug possession and sales - would be a good start. Maybe a patrol car in our neighborhood would help --- if a criminal does not see the presence of police --- (not the community patrol) --its a free pass --- police presence reduces crime ------ I am sure the taxes collected by the county could afford more police to patrol ---- It would also help the officers to familiarize themselves the area they are responsible for... as of now ill bet the local pd has to use a gps to respond to any give address in tv --- officers should be able to respond to a give address and know the area and know the problem areas ----- patrol the village streets ---- we pay enough taxes and crime is on the increase

All excellent questions and suggestions to take to the next Sumter County commissioners meeting, whenever that is scheduled.

[duffysmom]

I hate surprises so whenever we leave home we turn on the new ADT security system and its so simple, just punch in a couple of numbers and it's armed. I would hate to be the person who comes home and interrupts a burgler. ADT is just another layer of security.

[JB in TV]

Originally Posted by billethkid

I think a most significant "goings on" contributor is that there is now a news source providing information to TV residents that was not being reported by the Daily Sun.

And recently even these incidents are being reported in the Daily Sun and the alternate dot com news source, hence while repetitive is like throwing a little more kindling onto a dying fire...therefore it never goes out.

Then there are the weekly re-caps of the prior weeks/months news and the same incidents are reported again.

Add to the above the repetitive threads sometimes about the same event.

All together it seems like more than the isolated incidents really are. It has been said many times that for a community of our size we are among the safest and lowest crime rates.

Many cities in the world would aspire to level of real security we have here in TV....including the places we grew up and or moved from.
Let's keep informed but let us not distort the true reality of the life style that we have here.

There is no intent on my part to minimize those who have been violated....having had it happen to us many years ago in a different state, it really does shake one's confidence and scares the sensibility from us.

Just lobbying for perspective.

Excellent observation about the repetitive posts and reports...one that I share as well, but hesitated to comment on.

Communication is a wonderful thing, and with the Internet it can be very fast...and also slow... Something that gets "reported" today, may go by word of mouth through several people then get posted again here next week, by someone who just heard about it, thinking it is a new incident. We all need to put things in perspective...Like you said, not to minimize the hurt to those who have been victimized...I also feel that pain (from many years ago) as if it was yesterday.

[aaffmom]

Sumter County is not just The Villages. Our Sheriff's department does not have the man power to cruise every street.