Increase in Break-ins

We are fortunate in that we have very few break-ins in our Neighborhood Watch grid; however in the past week we have had 2. The two in the past week were on Knollwood and Lambright. However there have been others in the grids to the east and west of our MacDugal Park grid. Please keep a watch for suspicious activity.

The TPD non emergency number is 813-231-6130.

It is a good idea to have this number programmed into your cell phone or mobile device.

Frequent traffic to a particular address for short visits of just a few minutes may be an indication of drug dealing.

Teens and young adults hanging out in pairs on bikes going on properties where there are no teens or young adults or no one is home should be considered suspicious.

Unfamiliar individuals going in the back yard where they don't belong should be considered suspicious. Many of the break-ins and burglaries are through a rear window or door.

Let the police check it out. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Be a neighbor and watch out for your fellow neighbors

Warning: Gaining Access to Your Vehicle With Power Locks

With the holiday season upon us, security of your personal vehicle is very important to prevent theft of items you may have in your car. Read the story below on one of the newest ways to gain access to your vehicle. Technology advances are great, but with the good always comes some bad.

This is a real situation, as described by an owner of a new car with power door locks.
I locked my car recently, and as I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times. Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I would hear it unlock again!! Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. They were obviously watching me intently, and there was no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation.

I quickly chucked the errand I was on, jumped in my car and sped away. I went straight to the police station, told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into cars.

Two weeks later, my friend's son had a similar happening. While traveling, my friend's son stopped at a roadside rest to use the bathroom. When he came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later, someone had gotten into his car and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase...you name it. He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into, the police told him he had been a victim of the latest robbery tactic -- there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device.They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said to manually lock your car door-by hitting the lock button inside the car -- that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you.When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be instantly stolen. This is very real. Be wisely aware of what you just read and please pass this note on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure we remembered to lock them -- and bingo, someone has our code...and whatever was in our car.

Captain Jeffrey L. Succi
Information Technology Project Coordinator
Technology and Communications Section
Florida Highway Patrol
600 SE 25 Avenue
Ocala, Florida 34471
Office: 352-732-1426
Fax: 352-369-2413
Cell: 352-208-2352

Do your part not to become a victim of crime

This past weekend saw a definite increase in crimes of opportunity. Saturday we had a group of boys roaming the neighborhood stealing bikes that they found easy targets and better than the ones they currently had in their possession. Please make sure your bikes are out of sight or locked down if you are not physically on them. One of the boys was located with a stolen Mountain Bike and arrested. On Sunday there was a report of a group of boys doing the exact same thing south of Hillsborough Ave. I guess the ‘heat’ got a little hot in D2 so they moved on to D3.

Items left in cars were objects of attention and desire this weekend as well. Numerous cars had windows broken and keys pried open over the weekend. In some cases they ‘thought’ something looked worth while and then discovered it was not. Too late, damage done for the vehicle owner.

With Halloween this Saturday, and then the Holiday season starting, this trend is likely to continue. Do your part: lock your doors, leave nothing in your vehicle that might suggest value, turn your alarms on (they are not very effective otherwise), call TPD (231-6130) if you see ANYTHING suspicious. If you are going to be out of town, please fill out a TPD Vacation Watch Form.

Thank you,
Christie Hess

Neighborhood Watch Meeting - Wednesday

Meeting Hosted by Grid 58
After learning that a violent crime had been committed in our area, our neighborhood did a great job pulling together to keep our neighborhood safe. Now that TPD has captured Joseph Frye it is important to continue to stay alert to people in our neighborhood. Please take some time this weekend to talk with your neighbors about Neighborhood Watch to ensure they know who their Grid Coordinator is and how they can become involved.

This crime was a test of our Neighborhood Watch and now is a good time to review what worked and what needs to be improved. To that end, a meeting with TPD – Major Bennett and Capt. Newman – has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 9 at 7:45pm. This meeting will be hosted by Grid 58 and held in the sanctuary of the Seminole Heights United Methodist Church (corner of Hanna & Central Ave). Please make an effort to attend this meeting and offer your input on how Neighborhood Watch was successful and where we should concentrate on improving.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting
Seminole Heights United Methodist Church
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 7:45PM

Burglary and Rape Suspect Flyer

Click the link for the suspect the police are looking for in connection to a buglary and rape of one of our Seminole Heights neighbors. TDP Suspect flyer. This incident at a home on Suwanee, several blocks north of Hillsborough in Grid 58. As a neighboring grid (grid 52), our MacDugal Park neighbors should be alert.

TPD officer killed in line of duty

Cpl. Mike Roberts was shot and later died as a result of a confrontation with a homeless individual. Not so ordinary an individual, according to Assistant Chief Jane Castor (a Seminole Heights resident), the shopping cart had been heavily armed. Police found two 9mm Glocks, a .22 caliber pistol and the AR-15 assault rifle in his possessions. The cart was full of military gear.
The officer left behind a wife and a three year old son. For those who would like to make a donation to this family the information appears below:
A memorial fund has been set up for the family of Corporal Mike Roberts. Donations can be made to the Tampa Police Memorial Fund.Send checks to 411 N. Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602 with the memo, Cpl Mike Roberts Memorial Fund.

In addition to sending a check to the memorial fund, an account has been set up with Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union. The account number is"538412" and donations can be made at any credit union in the Tampa Bay area. Make checks payable to Cynthia Roberts or the Tampa Bay Police Memorial.

We may not always be happy with TPD's response to some of our less serious issues but it would seem this individual was a serious threat to the community. The officer, in trying to look into what this individual was up to, ended up losing his life in the process. For those of us in Seminole Heights, Sulphur Springs or other central Tampa neighborhoods, we might want to stop and think about what lives might have been saved at the expense of this officer's life.

Burglary in Grid 52

7/1. Burglary at 1300 E. Diana. Stolen: TV, Dell Computer, camara, checkbook. Entered through UNLOCKED back door. If anyone has information please share it with TPD.

Another reminder about something as simple as locking your doors.