[Skip]

Last year there was a rash of vandalism to cars parked in the lots around Lake Sumter Landing. Many cars had their radio antennas or wipers ripped off. Then there was the incident of broken windows to cars parked over night behind AAA.

We had friends visit this weekend and they got interested in buying a house here and moving from further up north. We had talked about the safety here in The Villages too.

On Sunday (7/7/13) about 3 PM we got back to her car parked below Merrill Lynch behind the Tuscan Day Spa at LSL and found that her brand new car had been keyed by some vandal. The scratch was deep and ugly, not a casual accidental scratch by someone carrying something between cars.

The Sumter County Sheriff's Dept. was called and a crime report was made but the officer stated that without direct evidence (like a willing eye witness), it's nearly impossible to catch the perpetrator(s). He would not answer the question of whether other car owners had reported keyed cars here this weekend.

Our friend was devastated to tears because of this and vowed never to buy here in a place that has such cruelty going on. (Understandable!)

Did any TOTVer have the same crime occur on Sunday or any other day recently? Perhaps sharing the details will help stop this ongoing problem at LSL.

Please don't tell us that this can happen anywhere and it's not just a problem in The Villages! These crimes have been happening at LSL for too long and the businesses around here are noticing the discontent of our residents unwilling to come to the square in the evening and now even in daylight hours.

Skip

[Jerseygirl08]

Originally Posted by Skip

Last year there was a rash of vandalism to cars parked in the lots around Lake Sumter Landing. Many cars had their radio antennas or wipers ripped off. Then there was the incident of broken windows to cars parked over night behind AAA.

We had friends visit this weekend and they got interested in buying a house here and moving from further up north. We had talked about the safety here in The Villages too.

On Sunday (7/7/13) about 3 PM we got back to her car parked below Merrill Lynch behind the Tuscan Day Spa at LSL and found that her brand new car had been keyed by some vandal. The scratch was deep and ugly, not a casual accidental scratch by someone carrying something between cars.

The Sumter County Sheriff's Dept. was called and a crime report was made but the officer stated that without direct evidence (like a willing eye witness), it's nearly impossible to catch the perpetrator(s). He would not answer the question of whether other car owners had reported keyed cars here this weekend.

Our friend was devastated to tears because of this and vowed never to buy here in a place that has such cruelty going on. (Understandable!)

Did any TOTVer have the same crime occur on Sunday or any other day recently? Perhaps sharing the details will help stop this ongoing problem at LSL.

Please don't tell us that this can happen anywhere and it's not just a problem in The Villages! These crimes have been happening at LSL for too long and the businesses around here are noticing the discontent of our residents unwilling to come to the square in the evening and now even in daylight hours.

Skip

Agree; details must be shared so that the problem can be made known, then maybe a solution can be found. Maybe someone (not sure who, maybe more than one) can drive around the parking lots kinda like security or neighborhood watch (WITHOUT A GUN). Cannot picture who could be keying cars, such a ridiculous crime.

[gocubsgo]

Wonder where Community Watch Patrol drivers were? Obviously not there.

[John_W]

Community Watch can't be everywhere, but cameras can be. Many crimes have been solved with parking lot cameras, I don't see why they haven't already been installed here.


/

[Serenoa]

Originally Posted by gocubsgo

Wonder where Community Watch Patrol drivers were? Obviously not there.

I'm sure they were right close by & must have just glanced in the opposite direction when the perp struck. Seriously, why ask such a silly question?

News flash! This can & does happen anywhere & everywhere. It has happened to me in the past, about 30 years ago in Austin, Tx.

Sorry to hear about the vandalism to this lady's car, but would this isolated incident keep me from buying in TV? Hell no!

[janmcn]

Did the police check near-by cars for similar damage? If so, any found?

There was a letter to the editor in The Tampa Bay Times a few months ago from a woman who had her car keyed in The Villages, and she attributed it to having the wrong sticker on her car. She also had her golf cart smeared with dog poop for the same reason.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Did the police check near-by cars for similar damage? If so, any found?

There was a letter to the editor in The Tampa Bay Times a few months ago from a woman who had her car keyed in The Villages, and she attributed it to having the wrong sticker on her car. She also had her golf cart smeared with dog poop for the same reason.

Not sure if that is the reason. I have some friends in the Villages who have certain stickers on their cars and are quite vocal with their neighbors about certain affiliations but have-- to my knowledge-- never had any problems like this. They have lived here at least 6 years and probably more.

It is probably just some mean spirited people who are envious of people who live in the Villages. Or, perhaps, are just visiting the Villages as in the OP's situation with their friends. I assume their friends' car had out-of-state license plates.

[redwitch]

Sadly, vandalism does happen everywhere. Cars get keyed for many reasons -- the fun of it, someone mad that a car took two parking spaces, carrying something that scratches the car (a cart used to take something through the lot can leave a deep scratch), a drunk with keys in hand and so on. I'm sorry that happened to your friend but I do think that saying you won't buy in TV because of this is a total overreaction. It may not have been a deliberate act but an act of stupidity and carelessness.

[Bonny]

Yes, it is a shame, but this stuff happens every where in the world. I can't imagine that would stop me from buying here. If that was the case, I could never live anywhere.

[PJUCTH]

Love kids . Teenagers not so much. Must be an old people thing. The past few years way in back in the big lot behind the golf cart store during the Summer there has been a large group of kids hanging out. I love loud music so that was no issue. The fast driving in the parking lots and finding them sitting drinking in my golf cart last year did. Now not terribly but a little afraid to park there at night. Not to blame it on kids but anyone over indulging and bored spells trouble to me. Not sure why they are allowed to congregate there

[manaboutown]

Although vandalism does indeed occur "everywhere" it occurs with great frequency some places and rarely others. One would hope that it occurs infrequently in The Villages. If I were new to an area and experienced such an act, especially to a new car, I would not return. About 35 years ago I had a new Corvette and parked it in a restaurant's lot while I went in to eat. When I came out someone had vandalized it. That left a bad taste in my mouth and I never returned to that restaurant or even that neighborhood. At my age now I want to feel safe and I want my property whether it be real or personal to be safe. Therefore I stay away from areas known to have higher levels of crime and vandalism. Like it or not areas develop reputations based on what happens there. I would not want parking lots in The Villages become known to vandals as target rich environments, where to go to vandalize vehicles and get away with it!

[rp001]

Guess all of sumter county's finest were out chasing speeding golf carts...No money in catching vandals...

[Skip]

Originally Posted by John_W

Community Watch can't be everywhere, but cameras can be. Many crimes have been solved with parking lot cameras, I don't see why they haven't already been installed here.

Developer won't install security cameras (like Walmart) because he says it gives the impression of high crime in the area. (!)

However, when gates were accidentally being broken off at villages entrances, The Villages first step was to install video cameras so they could catch and charge the person involved (usually us residents) for the repairs.

Skip

[NotGolfer]

Originally Posted by Bonny

Yes, it is a shame, but this stuff happens every where in the world. I can't imagine that would stop me from buying here. If that was the case, I could never live anywhere.

I so agree with you Bonny!!! Happened in our lovely little quiet mid-western town as well. NOT the reason we moved...but hated the weather. My take on things (ie not buying here) is folks sometimes need an excuse to not doing something.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by rp001

Guess all of sumter county's finest were out chasing speeding golf carts...No money in catching vandals...

This was my initial thought----oh! For such awful thoughts---but speeding 3mph above the speed limit and a resident having to pay a $300.00 fine is over the top IMHO. Bottom line----without security cameras its almost impossible to catch such "rascals".