Windermere-area homes see 3rd armed home invasion in a month

Armed robbers again have targeted a residential neighborhood in Windermere along Ficquette Road.

Orange County deputies responded to reports of an armed home invasion around 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, at a residence in the 13000 block of Beckman Drive, Windermere.

According to Orange County Sheriff’s Office reports, a 39-year-old woman and her 8-year-old and 11-year-old sons were awoken by two male suspects armed with handguns and wearing masks that covered their faces.

The masked suspects identified themselves as police and demanded to know where the woman’s jewelry was located, deputies said. One of the suspects was wearing a lanyard that read “SWAT,” deputies added.

After the suspects found the jewelry, they left the home, but no one saw how or in which direction, deputies said. 

Deputies continue to search for the masked suspects, as well as the suspects from two previous armed home invasions that have occurred within a one-mile radius in the past month.

The first took place Tuesday, Oct. 23, in The Retreat at Windermere apartment complex off Ficquette Road. During that incident, two male roommates answered a knock at their door and three masked suspects barged in, demanding cash and drugs, according to an incident report. 

A struggle ensued, and one of the roommates, a 19-year-old man, was shot in the abdomen. The suspects forced the two victims to lay down on the floor and then stole $500 in cash and a small jar containing cannabis, the report states.

In the second incident, at about 2:50 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, four suspects wearing masks, hoodies and gloves robbed a home on the 1300 block of Zori Lane. According to that incident report, a woman who lives in the home went outside to discard of trash in a recycle bin when she suddenly heard three to four car doors slam shut. 

When she walked to the front of her home, she noticed a car backed into her driveway, looked into her home from a front window and spotted four black men running inside her home from the back sliding-glass door. 

One of the suspects saw her, pointed a gun at her and demanded her to get inside the home and show them where the safe was located. The woman’s daughter and grandson also were home during the robbery.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the home invasions are not related. Deputies continue to investigate the incidents. Anyone with information may contact the Sheriff’s Office or Crimeline at (407) 423-8477.