They are all making a mistake by leaving their houses open. There IS crime and burglary (definitely) in The Villages. There is only an ILLUSION of safety caused by the gates and the roving VOLUNTEER trucks that burglars can avoid. I know that FIRSTHAND because a few years ago our home was broken into (through a rear window). We were away for only a few days. (the intruders seemed to know that). We lost about $5,000 worth of tools and other items that could be easily sold at pawn shops.The Police found zero fingerprints, which they said was what they usually found. They said that the thieves were practiced and clever and that there have been similar break-ins before in The Villages. It is an easy mark for them. The Police said that they would check the pawn shops for our items. They were NEVER recovered.

It is ONLY my personal opinion, but I believe that the thieves were tipped off to our being away from our house. I believe it was done in coordination with one of the daytime workers, like the lawn mowing and landscapers or maybe roofers. They may be paid for tips about who has what equipment and when a house is ripe for a burglary.

There is plenty of crime in TV Land and it could easily increase as the US suffers record increases in unemployment in the next few weeks. My advice is get some type of security equipment or a security service. Get a hidden safe for valuables. The Villages newspaper and radio is SELLING a perfect and safe lifestyle. But, you can find out reality by checking a crime blotter for this area on the internet. I have also heard (not 1st hand experience) that golf cars are also stolen on a regular basis. And I know, for a fact, that several cars in the Buffalo soft ball parking lot were broken into several months back. There is a dark underbelly to the TV Land perfect world that is ignored by most and newcomers need to become AWARE of.

My husband always says about being safe here;

"What could anyone steal that would really, REALLY, matter?"

"Why would anyone come in to harm us when everyone has camera's everywhere? "

And if you don't ....go right now and buy some at Sam's Club.

Locking your doors is not a bad thing, but at this time, we live in one of the safest places in the country.

I have tended to not lock house doors. I do however take all keys with me. I just have me er been paranoid about that.

Probably drug addict living with mommy close by that observed when you were gone. Most burglaries are tipped offs or stocked to ensure nobody will be home.

The dark underbelly IMO drug addicts moochers.

We moved here from S. Fl 11 years ago. We always lock our doors, our car & don’t let the garage door stay up. When in S.Fl we had two house burglaries, hubbies car stolen 2x, one purse snatching in a parking lot. The last house break in they got two pistols and all our flat screen TVs (just ripped right off the walls). One gun was returned by Hollywood police after it was recovered in another crime. My mother had her car stolen 2x, and robbed in her own driveway after being followed from the bank. My aunt was mugged & robbed in front of my parent’s house one Christmas Day. Oh & we lived in a nice neighborhood.

I have lived in TV for 17 years and i have NEVER encountered a single problem. On a scale of 1 - 10 i would rate TV a 9.5. But we will never know what tomorrow brings. Better safe then not.

Si vis pacem, para bellum

If Don’t see the point of this post, and it could possibly cause problems.

You are not paranoid. The examples you point to are either naive, stupid, or both.

Any prudent person locks their doors wherever they live...

Create a sign for your outside doors that says:
"This door is locked for YOUR safety, not MINE."
Even if the door is unlocked, anyone with criminal intent will think twice.

Unfortunately I have had a few bad experiences. I left my rake and shovel out front while I went in the back yard to get something.
When I came back they were gone. I looked everywhere and thought I lost my mind but no I never saw them again. The other day I left my new clippers on a chair on my porch overnight and they too were gone. Also, one day when my door bell rand I opened my door and a lady had my screen door open and barged into my house pushing me backwards. She said she was the caregiver. I pushed her back out the door and told her she had the wrong house. Now I lock the screen door also. So maybe it is a good idea to lock doors. We have many outside people coming into The Villages so it is no different than any place else. I don't think we should be frightened, just careful.

Door signs.

DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF AMMO, DO NOT EXPECT A WARNING SHOT.

I LOVE MY PIT BULL

Very possible. Agreed.

Your choice

Yes. I could do without lawnmower people. Maybe soon there will be robotic mowers available at a reasonable price for everyone. Slow growing grass would be nice also.