The criminal elements are steadily at work in the Fairways! Last night , November 20, two residences were burglarized on Forrest Oak Dr. This time, the targets were not some petty change, in an unlocked car, but it was cutting screens and stealing a flat screen TV.
As most folks know, Forrest Oak is over a mile from the front gate. It would seem that the thieves had transportation, and entered through the front gate.
Both victims reported the crimes to the sheriffs office. The method of entry was similar to some thefts, several years ago. The perpetrators, cut a screen,near the door latch and gain entry by simply unlatching the door.
Everyone asks---HOW CAN WE STOP THEM?---WHAT CAN WE DO?----The answer is ---STOP THEM AT THE GATE!
As this post is being written, there is a 13 page, gate security option list, laying on the HTA presidents desk . Would this option list make the FAIRWAYS as safe as FORT KNOX ?---Absolutely not.----- BUT the options listed, would stop, identify and record, those coming in our community.
WE NEED THE SUPPORT AND THE VOICES OF RESIDENTS TO IMPLEMENT A BETTER FORM OF SECURITY AT THE GATE.
WE DO NOT WANT THE FAIRWAYS TO END UP LIKE OTHER 55+ MOBILE PARKS IN ORANGE COUNTY [Gulfstream and Star Light Ranch]
THINK ABOUT IT---WOULD A FELON, PULL UP TO A KIOSK,-- THEN BE QUESTIONED BY SOMEONE,THAT HE CAN NOT SEE AND THEN BE REQUIRED TO DISPLAY HIS DRIVERS LICENSE ?----THAT IS THE WAY ONE OF THE OPTIONS WOULD WORK.---MAKE YOUR THOUGHTS HEARD!
12 comments:
I hate to state the obvious but Why do they have a flat screen TV on their patio, with just a flimsy screen to protect that valuable item? Why make it easier for them? leaving cars and houses unlocked is just an invitation.
Get smart people! wake up! Bill is only one man...why don't you help yourselves and take his advice!
I agree we need security, not only at the front gate, but also patrolling the grounds day and night.
Actually the house that was burglarized was an enclosed porch with windows and a locked door....the thieves broke the lock and entered..not a screen porch.
Ok, I didn't see that in the description.
I saw window alarms at the dollar tree store yesterday. For $1 you can put this device on your windows and doors. If anything is moved, broken or opened. The alarm will go off, it may deter them, thinking that it's connected to an alarm company. It will give you time to grab your cell phone to call the police.
Do you know how safe a single woman that is a widow feels right now living at Fairways? Not very safe, not safe enough to sit out on her screened in porch or go for a walk around the park, or even drive her golf cart up to the Masters for a friendly game of cards not knowing if she will enter her home while someone is in there taking all she has and going through her stuff. Who know what else might go through a criminals mind. Every one in the park should feel so violated right now and not sit back and say, "It didn't happen to me, so I could care less." When is our community going to come together? You wouldn't stand for it if it was your mother or father or your daughter or sister or brother so why are you not speaking up. This information needs to be on the blue screen on the bulletin boards and anywhere people can see what is going on here. Not everyone reads these blogs and we need to get the word out and ban together before someone is killed. Criminals don't care, they just don't want to get caught so what wouldn't they do?
What is it going to take before something is done around here for OUR safety? Too bad our fearless leader Priscilla doesn't live here. I bet we would have a guard at the gate.....I bet there would be less drugs in here.....I bet there would be less unregistered "guests" living here....I just don't understand why NOTHING can be done.....
On Thursday morning, Fairways Watch, contacted Capt. Brett Meade, commander of sector2 OCSO.and Detective Christine Shaw. We requested extra patrols for the Fairways. As always the capt responded in a positive manner. The capt copied our information and request to all 26 officers, covering our area.
Although this is a very heavy work load time for law enforcement, they will do everything possible to help us.
BUT----we must do everything to help ourselves!---IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING !
We started our own little buggy patrol at 1am this morning. The purpose is to maybe see or hear some thing in the wee hours when things happen, and make a call to stop things before they happen. It can't hurt,and we are at least trying to "see something" or a bad guy before its too late. WE will do this nightly to help do our part
Question for Randy, do you know the varies times these robberies are happening? Let me give everyone an example, on garbage days like today, I see a number of trucks some with heavy tinted windows driving up and down the streets. Now because we can't see in we don't know if they are neighborhood watch or if they are trucks looking for stuff outside of homes to pick up and they should not be in here anyway. I think if we had some kind of magnetic sign or some type of signage that it is indeed our Neighborhood watch truck or golf cart or post of picture of this vehicle we would know who is patrolling our grounds. It gives people a better feeling to see our park being patrolled. We could also stop them if we were walking and saw something out of the ordinary they could investigate. I'd be happy to spring for the signs.
To MIKE
Thank you for your timely comment. YES-----a truck with dark tinted windows ,may very well be Fairways Watch, as well as the old plainly marked golf cart with the light bar, We use both, for different purposes.The marked cart is to show presence of a watch program. That is all that it is good for.
I have worked with our watch program for over 12 years. During that time we have been able to gather a lot of helpful information for our law enforcement people. ----BUT---- without exception, all of the valuable tips and information was gathered in a clandestine manner, with unmarked vehicles.We have been able to photograph suspicious situations, that could not have been done with a noted presence.
OUR UNMARKED TRUCK ,WITH DARK WINDOWS IS OUT VERY EARLY, EVERY MORNING AND MANY TIMES LATE AT NIGHT. WITH AN UNMARKED CAR OR TRUCK, OTHER SUSPICIOUS VEHICLES CAN BE FOLLOWED. A golf cart at 12MPH is useless.
Yes Mike,since my house was one burglarized as well as my neighbors between midnight and 6am we have a pretty good idea as for the timeframe. I don't believe many breakins happen during the daylight hours when people are out and about. I believe all eyes are helpful, rather it be walking, bicycles, trucks, etc. and my golf cart that travels in excess of 25 mph. I'm just saying we can all contribute to our communities safety if we work together and do our part.
I've been following the incident story for awhile now and, must say, some comments are a bit alarming. What we seem to have are several frustrated residents that are going to take matters into their own hands. This should not happen, we have programs in place to deal with this. If you don't like the results, get involved and fix it. My fear is that some people are going to start carrying weapons, maybe baseball bats maybe other items. You have no organization or authoritarian rule. Someone is either going to get hurt or get sued. We won't be able to tell the good guys from the bad. You may not like the label but you are vigilantes, stop it now before we get even worse results.
Understand Anonymous, all we are doing is a night patrol as residents. No weapons or confrontations, just extra night eyes to maybe see something and REPORT it. This is ONE way we feel we can make an immediate impact. How does this make one a vigilante? You would feel different if it was you getting broken into. By extra patroling and seeing something, say something, even you should feel a little safer. At least we are helping the neighborhood watch by doing something.
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