[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

About 4 years ago, there was a rash of burglaries in The Villages. At the time, most of them were reported in the Villages Daily Sun. According to those reports, many of the intrusions were while people were at home. Some reported people awaking in the dead of night with intruders in their bedrooms. Some were in broad daylight. If my memory serves me correctly at least one home owner was injured in a scuffle with the intruders. To the best of my recollection, there were about 15 or 20 burglaries in that series. Two of the burglaries were about three blocks from my house.

One or two individuals were arrested and charged with some of the crimes.

About 5 years ago, there was a home intrusion not far from Lopez Country Club. Two young men held a man and his wife at gunpoint while they ransacked the house. Before leaving, they murdered the woman and seriously wounded the husband. I have a more than casual knowledge because I was called for jury duty. I was not selected. Both of the defendants were found guilty and only one, I believe, received a death sentence. The couples daughter was investigated, but was never charged.

In this case, the "panic" or "ambush" alarm could have been helpful.

JLK

The daughter knew the men because she did drugs with them. They were invited into the home. That is the way it was reported. I don't call that a home intrusion.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

The daughter knew the men because she did drugs with them. They were invited into the home. That is the way it was reported. I don't call that a home intrusion.

Whether is was an intrusion, and invasion or a set up, it was a major crime. I'm sure the family felt it was an intrusion into their happy home.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by taylor111947

I don't mean to be rude, but although I value all your opinions on why or why not to have an alarm system, no one is answering my original request for recommendations for Alarm System vendors. Can someone please help me out?

taylor, I can't help you out with a specific vendor in TV. But I would encourage you to find out what the monthly monitoring fee is (if you opt to have that service). Some companies will give you a low price for the system cost and installation then give you a really high number for the monthly monitoring.

Bill

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Whether it was random or planned, it was a home invasion and it was in The Villages. My memory is that there was no boyfriend involved in this, rather an acquaintance. The girl was never charged with anything.

I believe that the other 15 or so unrelated burglaries were "drug related" as well. I also think that a high percentage of home invasions all around the country are "drug related," in that the loot is sold to buy drugs. In 2009 there were over 2 million burglaries in this country.







JLK

This data came from a real estate search site, how reliable is this data?
Also it states at the bottom of the page where this information came from that it is copyrighted.....thought we could not copy and paste copyrighted information.

[bkcunningham1]

[barb1191]

Awhile ago our phone rang at about 11:40 PM and I thought who the h*** is calling at this hour? If it's another recording call or sales-pitch call, I'll blow my stack at them!!!!

I picked up the phone and it was a female voice and before I gave her a chance to say anything, I said to her...."You know, I REALLY do not appreciate you calling at this late hour."

She responded with a sincere apology and said that she was calling from TV Security and they just received notice that your garage door is open. Did you know that?

WOW, did I feel like a real bummer. I apologized over and over again and thanked per profusely for calling and she was most kind and understanding.

I felt very secure after that call. Between neighbor watch and TV security watch, I feel we are in good stead.......

Carpe diem!!!!

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Also it states at the bottom of the page where this information came from that it is copyrighted.....thought we could not copy and paste copyrighted information.

I just checked on the copywrite and you are probably right about that. I have removed the graph.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by barb1191

."

She responded with a sincere apology and said that she was calling from TV Security

Did she really say "Villages Security?" If so, I didn't know there was such a thing. Was It Community Watch?

JLK

[barb1191]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Did she really say "Villages Security?" If so, I didn't know there was such a thing. Was It Community Watch?

JLK

yes.....is Community Watch not a form of security? Just asking...

[handyman]

I hope you guys know what kind of loads those thunder sticks are loaded with,the only thing between you and a bad dream, is 2 sheets of drywall and your neighbor, I have some heavy duty stuff ,but I would not ever consider a .357 as a home protector ,I value my neighbors,Please if you guys feel that you need to be armed, they make a really neat .410 5shot revolver it will take care of buisness and I will sleep and go golfing in the mornnig instead of not waking up PS, tough talk comes easy to someone who has never had to do the deed............it never goes away

[Tom Hannon]

The original question Talk Host posted is an interesting one. BUT people should think before giving too much detail about having an alarm or not on TOTV. We don't know who is stauking us. The less outsiders know about our security the better. And yes, I have a security system.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by barb1191

yes.....is Community Watch not a form of security? Just asking...

I think there is a difference. "Security" implies a measurable level of authority to deal with threatening situations. "Watch" on the other hand implies observing open garage doors and reporting yard ornaments.

Unless something has changed, Community Watch has no enforcement authority at all. They don't respond to anything that threatens well being. They simply notify local authorities. Much like an alarm systems does.

[graciegirl]

What some of you have done is to make people who do not yet live here feel that there is an elevated danger in doing so. I have a new friend who I cherish very much who reads this forum and I imagine that she is wondering what she has done putting a deposit down on some crummy crime infested place.

When the reality is that this lovely place is one of the most serene places in the world to live and that the fact that we are all wiser and older and not doing anything else other than moving about here and watching things and each other makes it even safer.

You can arm yourself with a cannon if you can carry it because it is part of your constititutional rights and some of you will even if you lived in a stockade with a platoon of people protecting you because you feel the way you do, but please remember that there are real people who are getting a really bad and wrong impression about the safety of this area reading this forum. These real people who may be single, and may want the happiness we have chosen for ourselves will decide not to come here and see how comfortably safe this place is.

The Community Watch drives around the neighborhood and watches, because I get up for my night feeding and I look out the windows and I see them in their white cars driving slowly by.

As I eat my cookies and milk I watch too. There isn't anything or anybody out there hardly even a car.

Now I am thinking that many of you are posting these things about locks on your bedroom door and carrying guns because you care and feel protective of others, but some of you may have not really assessed the level of danger or safety here accurately.

Taylor, get a security system. You know the one I chose because I sent you a PM. Even if the reason that you should do so is to protect yourself from armed, angry and drunken neighbors who have gotten themselves all mad because they got scratched by your knock out roses yesterday and they are gonna get you back.

I would also like to point out that the graph that was removed included the areas outside of TV. It is hard to find a graph that includes just The Villages because we are part of three counties.

Deep breaths and common sense. Thank you grandmother, I am listening.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by Advogado

I put fear of house burglary way down on my list of my Villages-related concerns, after:
1. The IRS investigation of the Developer's dealings with the Center Districts
2. Sink holes
3. Lousy drivers-- both cars and golf carts
4. Tornadoes
5. Hurricanes
6. A paranoid, trigger-happy neighbor with a .357 magnum (a firearm which has a lot of penetrating power) shooting at a noise in the night and the slug going through his wall and my wall
7. Ladies in red hats

Very funny!

[Tbugs]

Double-taps, triple-taps, silvertips, triple-tap rocker? Someone been reading too many Tom Clancy book?

As I have stated on here a few times already, the guns in the home are totally unnecessary. Statistics show that family members are more likely to be killed or maimed by guns in the home than are intruders.

Remember, last time you handled a gun in an emergency was probably 15-45 years ago. The bad guy that you find in your house is probably in his 20's and is a lot stronger and quicker than you are now. Your gun, if you have made it that far, will probably be turned against you.

Also, remember, The Villages is probably the safest place you have ever lived and there is basically no crime at all. Guns are not necessary here.