Sheriff's Office: Thieves search for unlocked cars, and burglarized 12 on one street March 1

Many car burglars are opportunists who won't bother with a locked car, especially if they can't see anything of value in it. Lock your doors and keep valuables out of sight.

By Jonathan Simmons
| 12:17 p.m. March 1, 2016

Palm Coast Observer
News

A dozen W-section cars at nine separate homes were burglarized overnight Feb. 29, and all of them had been left unlocked.

The thief, or thieves, stole clothes, cash, sports equipment, a school-issued laptop computer and loose change from some of the cars, and rifled through the others with taking anything from them. All of the cars were at homes on Wood Arbor Lane, according to a Flagler County Sheriff's Office news release.

The reports began coming in to the Sheriff's Office after a car alarm woke up one woman at about 2:12 a.m. March 1. Her car wasn't entered, but over the next half an hour, deputies gathered information on 12 car burglaries at nine homes, according to the news release.

“Criminals continue to be opportunists, looking for unsecured vehicles. We continue to remind citizens how important it is to remove personal items from vehicles and keep the doors locked at all times,” Sheriff James L. Manfre said in the news release. “By taking a few extra minutes, you can avoid becoming a crime victim.”

The Sheriff's Office has asked anyone with information about these crimes, or any others in Flagler County, to call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911. Callers can also remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477 (TIPS). Crime Stoppers tipsters may receive a reward of up to $1,000.