Crime Report: Lock Your Cars, Look Out for Scams

Stolen Vehicle
Feb. 9, overnight
8700 block of Overlook Drive
A 2002 Dodge Caravan was stolen from this part of Temple Terrace and was later recovered in Apopka, according to Temple Terrace Police Community Service Officer Tracy Mishler. No arrests have been made.

Burglary Auto
Feb. 13, overnight
400 block of St. Augustine Street
A pair of binoculars was taken from an unlocked 2005 Toyota, Mishler said.

Burglary Auto
Feb. 13, overnight
300 block of Glen Oaks Street
Loose change was taken from two unlocked vehicles—a 2005 Lexus and a 2001 Volkswagen.

Burglary Auto
Feb. 14, overnight
8850 Doral Oaks Drive in the Doral Oaks Apartments
A GPS and a portable DVD player were stolen from an unlocked 2008 Suzuki, Mishler said.

Mishler said that this week’s car burglaries are likely related. He said there are too many vehicles with valuables inside being left unlocked.

Mishler also reported instances of two different scams.

The first deals with tax refunds fraudulently submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. Mishler encourages residents to file their taxes early to avoid such scams.

“Instead of getting better, it looks like it is going to worse than last year if the early fraud reports are any indication,” he said.

The second scam targets grandparents.

Mishler said that a local couple in their 70s received a phone call from their grandson, who told them that he had been arrested for drug possession in Ocala. Before the couple could ask any questions, a man came on the line and said he was with a bail bond company.

The man said to get their grandson out of jail, the couple would need to send $2,400 by money order to a person in Mexico City and provided a female name, Mishler said.

The couple followed the instructions but later thought more about the call and called their grandson who is serving in the military overseas, Mishler said. It was found that he had not been arrested and the phone numbers from the couple’s caller ID originated from Canada.

“Please be aware of these continued scams aimed at grandparents or others using a different angle,” Mishler said. “The bottom line is: Check the information out prior to falling for these scams. If you are not sure what to do, call the police department so we can help you.”

Those with any related information pertaining to any of these cases can call the Temple Terrace Police Department at 813-989-7110.