Unlocked cars targeted in Lakewood area, residents say

2 homeowners urge their neighbors to report anything that looks suspicious

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Multiple people living along Community Oaks Court in the Lakewood area said their vehicles have been illegally entered.

A home security camera recorded a man, who was wearing a hood and a mask, entering an unlocked truck in a driveway and rummaging around for more than 10 seconds. Then he is seen walking over to the driver’s side of the SUV parked next to the truck and grabbing the door handle before running off. Several nights later, a different camera recorded another man attempting to enter the same SUV, but the doors are locked, and he is seen walking away.

The homeowner whose cameras recorded the incidents said this has been going on for two months despite police patrols in the area.

“I’ve had a neighbor that had her car torn apart,” she said. “I’ve had my truck torn apart and twice within 10 days.”

Another neighbor said his vehicles have been targeted three times within the past several weeks. On one occasion, he said, he found a wallet in the back of his truck. He said believes the wallet -- which contained debit cards, a weapon permit and a state ID -- was snatched from someone else.

The neighbors who News4Jax spoke with said they don’t normally keep their doors unlocked, and when they did, crooks took advantage of it. Those two neighbors also said they talked with other neighbors who also have security video, but those neighbors refuse to report what’s happening because they’re afraid to get involved.

“Whether anything was taken or not, you should still report it because this is the only we are going to know and share things about what’s happening in our neighborhood,” said the homeowner who shared the footage from her cameras with News4Jax.

Within the last four weeks, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office crime map, there have been 11 reports of incidents involving theft, burglary or robbery within a half-mile radius of Community Oaks Court.

The two neighbors who felt it was important to tell News4Jax what’s happening in their community said everyone living in the neighborhood should be looking out for one another and reporting anything that looks suspicious.

The incidents serve as a reminder to lock car doors.


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