Residents in Golden Gate Estates are urged to be vigilant after another prowler was caught on camera - in an area hit hard by car burglars.
In the past few weeks, dozens of car burglaries have been reported in the Orange Tree community, as well as residential areas along Everglades Boulevard. The recent security image, taken from a surveillance camera at a home on 27th Avenue Northeast, shows a young man next to the homeowner's car in the driveway. The time stamp is at 4:31 a.m. on Monday.
"It's usually...minors late at night, looking to scout some change and whatever they can sell and make a little money," said Denny Martin, who lives at the corner of Everglades Boulevard and 27th Avenue NE.
"My nightly ritual before dinner, I lock the cars," Martin added.
The woman who sent Fox 4 the still picture asked not to be identified, but said that the person in the picture damaged the camera before leaving her property. Nothing of value was taken, because she locks her vehicle doors at night, she said.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office is promoting the "9 p.m. routine," asking everyone to set an alarm in the evening to remind them to lock vehicles and house doors and windows.
