Windermere Elementary auto burglaries part of statewide ring

Windermere Police Detective John Allen said that the department has a lead in a case involving burglaries of two vehicles during the afternoon of Sept. 28 at Windermere Elementary.

"We haven't made arrests yet but have worked with agencies across the state," Allen said. "We have identified the people involved, and they’re involved in statewide rings. We’re going to be working with agencies in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county areas to tie these cases together."

In these cases, groups travel from one area to another, taking purses and wallets with any kinds of cards and currency they can use for purchases, making withdrawals and purchases as fast as they can and discarding the rest in the trash, Allen said.

"We’ll be talking to these different agencies to try to determine what financial institutions they’re using bank cards at and looking to match the burglaries," he said. "Part of the investigation will be to track where they’ve been staying and what areas they’ve been working."

Especially during November and December, locking cars and hiding valuables is critical. Taking the time to ensure valuables are with you as you exit your vehicle, or in a safe, hidden place inside the vehicle, is one of the best steps to prevent becoming a victim of such a burglary, Allen said.

"It’s important for people out for shopping season they don’t leave purses in the car, or cover them if they do, so they can't be seen outside the car," he said. "If this does happen, your car is broken into, and your purse is stolen with cards, immediately report it to police, report it to financial institutions, and report it to the credit bureau so they can lock your credit and thieves can't open credit accounts in your name."

Anyone with information on the incident or possible suspects should contact Allen at 407-909-5306 or [email protected].

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].