[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by redwitch

TV also has a large police presence, both by the local sheriffs and by Neighborhood Watch. .

In our neighborhood, on the North side of the Villages, we have not seen a police care "on patrol" for three years. Neighbood watch is not a police agency, they are patroling primarlity to observe deed restriction violations. They don't work night hours as I understand it.

I am the key holder for a neighbor's alarm system. Recently it went off at 4 a.m. while they were away. The alarm company called me and I went to the scene, but, of course, didn't enter the house. It took the Marion County Sheriff 45 minutes to arrive.

[graciegirl]

Did someone break in?

[Best Mom]

The 5000 on here come from all OVER the United states. Many do not live in the Villages.
Go out and ask all your neighbors about this site. I hate to say it but I think most of the 70,000 here don't know about it. Everyone I got to join had never heard of it. If the Sun would let the Admin. advertize.....that is another whole topic!!
Also my older friends here don't even have a computer. A small group jumped all over me when I posted about the experience with my neighbor's house. It was 3 AM. This car was driving slowly around our loop with its lights off. I called Neighbor Watch and was told it would be hours before they could check it out. They were on a shift change.
I called the police and it took them over an hour.

Like I said many times....I do feel safe here. But that was a wake -up call. And the topic is...Increased break-ins and robberies. The key word is INCREASED. Police reports could answer that! You who want to prove a point....just call the different police departments.
Everyone have a great day! I know I will.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Did someone break in?

Nobody broke in. A neighbor had gone in very early to feed their cat and forgot to shut off the alarm. When it went off, she left and was scared to come out and tell us it was she who had set it off.

JLK

[chelsea24]

Yes, I agree that common sense is the key and some street smarts. Yesterday I had lunch with a friend at Cici's Pizza. It's buffet style. We were going to go up to the buffet together, feeling completely safe leaving our purses at the table. Then I noticed two teenage boys, very near and I thought better of it. So we took turns going up to the buffet.

In the Villages, I think we get lulled into a false sense of security because everyone is so kind and helpful. In the neighborhood I grew up in, you had to have "street smarts" to get through the week, or day even. And even though the suburb we recently moved from in Illinois was extremely safe too, I always tried to use common sense. Because people are people wherever you go.

When I hear about these petty thefts being talked about, usually the person is partly to blame. Leaving golf clubs behind, or out in the square especially -- just a silly thing to do. You're just asking for trouble.

As far as the Village Watch is in our community, I see them all the time. They even knocked on our door because our neighbor had taken off on a vacation and left their garage door open. They checked the house thoroughly, closed the door and went on their way. They were right on the job.

And as far as the Sheriff's Dept. of Sumter County goes, I can't say enough good things about them. They handled a very sicky moving incident for us and arrived very quickly. In the neighborhood I grew up in, you could've waited days for a cop. (I'm not kidding!) They were all too busy drinking coffee and stuffing down doughnuts. In fact the joke was, if you need a cop, call Majestic Restaurant! The Sumter County Sheriff's Dept. is great, they get an A+ in my book.

This is, indeed, one of the safest area's to live in. C'mon down newbies. But don't leave your golf clubs on the back of your carts in the Squares.

[villages07]

Neighborhood watch..... since I'm keeping rather abnormal sleeping hours these days, quite often I am sitting in front of the computer between 2 and 5 am. My guess is that the neighborhood watch patrol car goes by my house on average every 2-3 hours after dark. After dark, I'm sure their primary mission is neighborhood security not deed compliance violations.

I have never seen a Sumter County Sheriff just routinely patrolling in my neighborhood, but, do see them quite often on Canal, Odell, Morse, BV, etc main streets. One of my neighbors unfortunately backed his vehicle into a parked work van not too long ago....Sumter Sheriff was here within 20 minutes to investigate/mediate.

These are my personal observations. Yes, there are property crimes within the Villages, and I doubt all are reported in the Daily Sun, but, I'm a numbers person..... the number of incidents is incredibly low for a community of this size and breadth.

[OpusX1]

We have not been victims but our neighbors were broken into last year and had jewelry stolen and the house was ransacked. They felt but could never prove that contractors working across the street watched their pattern and broke in when they knew no one was home.
Most of the locks are very easily broken. All you need is a similar key and a small hammer or rock. Like the locksmith told me, Locks just keep honest people out.

[chelsea24]

Originally Posted by OpusX1

We have not been victims but our neighbors were broken into last year and had jewelry stolen and the house was ransacked. They felt but could never prove that contractors working across the street watched their pattern and broke in when they knew no one was home.
Most of the locks are very easily broken. All you need is a similar key and a small hammer or rock. Like the locksmith told me, Locks just keep honest people out.

Wow! Thanks for posting exactly the way to break in! See that would be called "uncommon sense."

(Just kidding, I know you didn't mean it that way.)

[smalldog]

Small Dog Sez:
this discussion about security sounds somewhat familiar ............ could it be last year about this time with the influx of snow fearing renters ...... it seems that during these peak times we get people other than the marvelouly mature folk who are here all summer ( the Dreaded Others) and folks who have come here lately discover that you can't leave items like golf clubs ( which now cost more than my first 3 cars) laying around ...... tempting the less endowed( both morally and financally) of the Dreaded Others to improper behavour ......... such as stealing from our golfcarts ......... so it seems our bubble is not complete with airtight security .......... and so one must use that rare precious commodity Common Sense .............. this is after all not a small home town but rather a city ............ I think theft from homes is still pretty rare, at least I sure hope so ..

[EdV]

Here’s a simple $30 solution to the golf bag/club theft problem: Gator Jaws Club Guard

While it won’t stop a determined thief with a pair of cable cutters, it should deter a casual thief from lifting that $300 driver out of your bag while you run into the supermarket for a few things on your way home from the golf course.

[Golf-Tinker]

Golfsmith has Gator Jaws for about $7.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

Here’s a simple $30 solution to the golf bag/club theft problem: Gator Jaws Club Guard

While it won’t stop a determined thief with a pair of cable cutters, it should deter a casual thief from lifting that $300 driver out of your bag while you run into the supermarket for a few things on your way home from the golf course.

Another way is to put the bag cover over the clubs. Probably won't stop the determined thief....but will stop the casual walker from just lifting the club out of the bag. The effort to unsnap the cover could deter theft.
Just look at the carts parked at LSL, you could drive by and easily pick a club any club!

[wdwduo]

[QUOTE=villages07;181917] My guess is that the neighborhood watch patrol car goes by my house on average every 2-3 hours after dark.

I want to second Villages07's comment about the Neighborhood Watch. When walking early in the morning, before dawn, I've often seen them out and about in the Hadley area. Once I was dressed in dark clothing, they even did a slow roll when they went past me. Seem to be doing their job.
LED

[Talk Host]

[QUOTE=wdwduo;181978]

Originally Posted by villages07

My guess is that the neighborhood watch patrol car goes by my house on average every 2-3 hours after dark.

I want to second Villages07's comment about the Neighborhood Watch. When walking early in the morning, before dawn, I've often seen them out and about in the Hadley area. Once I was dressed in dark clothing, they even did a slow roll when they went past me. Seem to be doing their job.
LED

I am really confused now. About six weeks ago, I personally had a conversation with the head guy at the deed enforcement office. We were discussing an issue that occurs at 7 a.m. I said, "can't neighborhood watch check on it." The answer was, "no, they don't start til 8 a.m." Soooooo, why would they say that????

[Cassie325]

[QUOTE=Talk Host;182033]

Originally Posted by wdwduo

I am really confused now. About six weeks ago, I personally had a conversation with the head guy at the deed enforcement office. We were discussing an issue that occurs at 7 a.m. I said, "can't neighborhood watch check on it." The answer was, "no, they don't start til 8 a.m." Soooooo, why would they say that????

Jan...that is very odd! Perhaps it is different in each county...but I drive on 441, El Camino and Buena Vista to 466 each morning between 5am and 6am. There are Community Watch vehicles around during this time. I wouldn't say they are driving around...but I do see them at the gates (Polo Ridge, Santo Domingo and Santiago anyway). There are typically vehicles at the different gates....chatting with the gate guards.

I would assume they would not be up this early driving around if they were off duty.

As for the Sumter County Sherriff's.....there are typically 2-3 cars at McDonalds VERY early in the AM.

These are just my personal observations early in the morning.