Burglars ‘Make Themselves at Home’ While Residents Are on Vacation

When neighbors saw two people organizing house parties at a home in the 7800 block of Tuscany Woods Drive, they didn’t think much of it.

What they didn’t realize is the two people taking up residence in the Tuscany gated community in Tampa Palms didn’t actually live in the home.

“There is an emerging burglary pattern taking place in New Tampa this month,” according to the Tampa Police Department. “There have been two burglaries within relatively close proximity to each other since July 7. In both cases, the victims were on vacation when the offenses occurred. The unknown suspect(s) appeared to be squatting or making themselves at home inside of the residences during this time.”

At the Tuscany Woods Drive house, the homeowner was on vacation out of the country. A friend was randomly checking on the home and found that the burglars had ransacked the house and taken a 42-inch flat screen TV, according to police.

After talking to neighbors, police said they determined the burglars had been in the home between July 14 and 25. They entered through an unlocked second story front window.

A similar incident happened over in the 15900 block of Wyndover Road between July 7 and 11, police said. Someone pried open a sliding glass door of the home also located in Tampa Palms. The person or persons used the pool, ate food, made themselves at home and fled undetected.

“This is just a reminder to get to know your neighbors to extent that you would know when they are out of town so you can help keep an eye on their home,” said Lisa Timmer, TPD’s neighborhood affairs liaison.

TPD offers a Vacation Watch Program in which New Tampa residents can sign up for free to have zone officers to check their homes while they’re on vacation.

“They often make sure the doors and windows are not left open,” Timmer said. “If there are items in plain view—like newspapers in the driveway—they will place them in a location where it is less conspicuous that the homeowner is not picking them up.”

A Vacation Watch form is posted with this story.

“Please be advised also, even if you do participate in the Vacation Watch Program, it is not a guarantee that your property and home will not be victimized,” Timmer said. “It is just an extra layer of protection.”

See also:

• Tampa Police Offer Free Home Checks to Vacationing Residents
• Police Urge New Tampa Residents to Take Vacation Safety Precautions
• How to Avoid Summertime Crime