One sad fact to remember is that it may not be outsiders. Like it or not, there are several young (and not so young) "adults" legally living with their parents here. Some are here because of economic factors, some because of health factors, some because of mental factors, many because of legal issues. It is not uncommon to read of an arrest of someone between 19 and 50 who lives in TV. Most of the drug arrests of TV residents are under 30.

My daughter had a co-worker who was (is?) staying in TV rent free. The parents do not live here (I have no idea of the facts). He tools around in his parents' golf cart at all hours, music blaring, frequently drinking. His place is most definitely a party house. Sadly, I would not put a stunt like this past him and his friends.

I sincerely hope this vandalism is being caused by outsiders, but it could just as easily be by someone living or visiting here. Last year, I believe some visiting grandchildren punched the plastic rear window to my convertible top. It was extremely cold, so it shattered. I'm about 95% sure who did it, but I can't prove it. So, even if we did totally turn TV into a true gated community, we wouldn't necessarily eliminate all crime.

Do the police patrol inside the villages?

Depens on what "patrol" means to you
 

I've only seen the sheriff cars doing speed limit enforcement. I don't ever recall them just patrolling the streets.

What I mean is
 

What I mean is do sheriff or police drive their cars through the streets inside the villages looking for violators, particularly at night. Every place I have lived that is a part of protecting the public. Do the police do that or do they rely on neighborhood watch to do it? Does anyone do it at night?

Does he have a black pickup????????

Oh Yes, Lady Lake Police have made their presence known...

NO. The police do not.

There were some breakins a year ago but those people were caught, ditto for someone who was stealing golf carts, and he did live here. Now he lives in jail.

And in all due respect to Red, who lives here full time, I personally have heard no other reports of vandalism or any suggestion of drugs from people that we know. We have lived here half time for over two years and we are out and about and are blessed with a lot of people who stop by. Many of our friends live here full time and one for 20 years. I would hate for anyone who has not been here to think that this is a commonplace thing.

This is a town of over 80,000 people who mostly do not work. They certainly are aware of their surroundings and most of them are watching out for their neighbors as well.

Please pull up a site on crime and see how low the incidence of crime is here. It is as safe as we are in suburbs in Ohio, maybe safer. We had that woman shoot her husband, and someone was killed a few years back by friends of her son. But you just don't see many "UP TO SOMETHING" people hanging around here.

Come down and see!

You see the deputy sheriffs cars on the main arteries....it would be a waste of time to patrol inside each village.

Cops on patrol
 

Actually I did see The Sumter Co. Sheriff patrolling our street (a side street) two years ago. Caught a stop sign violator.
I believe if we had a real issue that was reported they would patrol the streets. But generally the crime rate is minuscule by comparison to other communities, gated or otherwise.

Gracie, I agree that no one I know here uses heavy drugs, but I do know of some who use marijuana and many who drink too much. I was talking about the Police Blotter in the Sun. There have been arrests of young adults with TV addresses for drugs, shoplifting, parole violations and other violations. Do I think they're in every village? Nope. Do I think they're in a lot of villages? Nope. Do I think there are some here? Sadly, yes, and I feel for the parents who are stuck trying to save their children from themselves. At the same time, I wish they could find a better solution than bringing them into our community.

The young man who has his party house here is another story. He has absolutely no business living here and his parents should be hung out to dry for allowing him free room and board and use of their golf cart while they are off doing whatever, wherever. I don't think he and his friends use drugs (maybe some grass, but that's about it), but they do drink a lot and they do hang out his place constantly. I'm certainly glad he doesn't live in my area, although I'm not sure where they live except it is north of 466.

If you're going to have a young adult live or visit here, I do believe you have a responsibility to TV to have them behave appropriately. Seeing some throwing up in bushes because they drank too much, screaming while driving golf carts, generally behaving badly, is not my idea of fun and those who invited these individuals to stay in TV for whatever reason should be held accountable. I know that's not really feasible, but it would be nice.

And, while most of the grandchildren that visit here are a true joy, there a few (very few) who make it miserable for anyone around them. I include the 2 YO who temper tantrums non-stop in every store and the bored teen who does stupid things.

BTW -- I talked to somone in Community Watch after the bridge had been grafittied. The theory making the rounds was that it was visiting grandkids who did the spray painting, not local kids.

TV is not crime free. No community of this size is or can be. It most definitely has less crime than most communities of this size.

The police here do their best to patrol and be a presence. Community Watch does a good job of being a presence. Neighbors do an excellent job of watching out for each other. Even so, things happen. Not as much as in most communities, but they do happen -- both by residents of TV and by non-residents.

when we have been snowbirding at our home in the vlge of silver lake i have occasionally seen the lady lake police cruiser riding thru the streets of silver lake, orange blossom and country club...have seen them mostly during the day and the early evening...it does have a calming effect on me when i see them...just wish they would cruise thru on the nite[s] when the party near rainbow blvd and bonita is in full swing!...i hope no one ever needs an ambulance or fire truck then!...it's hard enuf to get your cart thru the parked vehicles...but i believe the hosts "know" the right folks - maybe that's why the parties continue?

They do tend to stay to the main roads Morse, Odell etc. But I have seen them on rare occasions cruising through Hadley.

If the vandals live here, would someone please beat the crap out of them daily. Until they leave.

As for the party house, surely they can be run out of dodge with repeated citations for noise violations, under-aged drinking, etc. Where in the world are their neighbors in all this? Why haven't young hooligans been reported?

Is there any way they can be run of dodge for being an unauthorized totally under 55-aged household?

News flash for Andrew Blechman: You don't get why retirees choose to live in 55+ communities!? Duh!

I like the way you think.

Sadly, the party house is over 21 -- over 25 as a matter of fact. I don't know how noisy they are, just that there is always a crew over there and booze seems to be high on the list of things to do. If they were my neighbors, I'd definitely do everything possible to make life miserable for the young man who lives there.

As to the vandals, I'm never sure if I want to paddle the kids doing the vandalizing or the parents who don't seem to care enough to step up and be responsible for their kids' actions. I do understand that there is only so much parents can control, but they could at least stand up and apologize for their kids rather deny their kids did it or get angry at the messenger.

Personally, I'd like to see the kids doing the misdeeds be forced to (1) clean up their mess and (2) work for at least one day doing landscaping. It might give them some respect for those who have to clean up their messes.