Crime Watch Update
If you have concerns, see something strange in your area, Be vigilant, call the police. If you would like to be part of your community Crime Watch please email: BellalagoCrimeWatch@hotmail.com
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Bellalago Blog: Crime Watch Update
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The Neighborhood Watch program has be reorganized. We had a meeting on May 21st in the Amenity Center. Our next meeting is on June 18 at 7PM in the Amenity Center. Our Osceola Deputy will be there to answer questions.
We are in need of volunteers to be block captains. If you are interested email: bellalago_neighborhood_watch@yahoo.com
Thank you.
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I just found out that there is a Crime Watch meeting tonight at the Amenity Center at 7pm.
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Is anybody having issues with O&S the water company?, I'm having to call every month with about mistakes that they're making with my bill. I get the sense they don't even know what's going on there when I call. Am I the only one having issues with them?
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I too am having a huge problem with my bill and they act as if they don't know what is going on- this is disturing me because this is the second time!
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We live on Somerset Circle and we have noticed a disturbing thing going on involving groups of young males that are touring the neighborhoods and locating a vacant house with an abandoned basketball net. These young men descend on the property and use it for their personal playground. This usually happens shortly after the dinner hour and continues on until dark. These youths do no live in the immediate neighborhood. In two instances, we have noticed a garage window open and also the garage door has been released and these young men are entering the garage for who know what purpose. Last night, this occurred on Somerset Circle. My wife and I passed the home three time and at dusk, the group had left the premises however there were two boys peeking in the front window. This morning, we saw the garage door was open about 8 inches which indicated there was entry into the garage, probably through the open garage window and the door pull was released, allowing manual opening and closing of the door. We called security Saturday evening and they acted as though they couldn't care less. The is the second home in our immediate area where we have witnessed this. Also there were two suspicious cars on Bellalago Blvd. parked in the middle of the street down near the entrance to the Amenity Center and also at the South gate near the shopping center. There were groups of young men gathered around with no apparent purpose except loitering. We have experienced several situations where youths have blocked the street and will not move out of the way for approaching vehicles. They basically make you stop and in an instance last night, shouted obscenities at us before they would move out of the way. For starters, I think it would be a community service to have the abandoned basketball nets removed from the vacant homes thereby eliminating the attraction for these young men to congregate in areas where they have no business. The frequency of these events is increasing and something needs to be done as soon as possible to stop this behavior. We have not examined the vacant properties in our neighborhood where we know entry into the garage has occurred but suspect there may be possible vandalism to the inside of these homes. Somebody needs to do something. Would you please post something in your messages to the community about removing these abandoned basketball nets to eliminate these uninvited young men from descending into our neighborhoods We have to wonder how many are actually residents of Bellalago. We also know a significant number of boaters are using our boat ramps and their cars don't have Bellalago Stickers and their boats are not registered with Bellalago Stickers. Somehow they are getting in here but that is another story. Let's start with the abandoned basketball nets first. Thanks, Dan
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Just to let you all know that Avatar is now aware.
Paul:
Thank you for forwarding this e-mail as well. I have already notified the Association to take action with the basketball nets. Also, I have put both security and the off-duty sheriff's patrol on notice to be on the look out for these groups of young men in the future.
Thank you.
John C.
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I too see guys just hanging about for no reason...Bellalago is known for its quiet nice community so hopefully that doesnt change.
Im glad that avatar is now aware of this behavior- why pay for security if you have none.
Still we as neighbors have to keep posting and making each other aware of this type of activity.
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Hi Dan, I know exactly what you are talking about with the basketball nets. I too live on Somerset and take my dog for walks at least three times a day so I'm very aware of the goings on in our immediate area. I believe you are talking about the garage with the big German Shepherd in it from time to time. There is a loose screen window in the garage that the dog pushes on everytime we walk by scaring the beegeebers out of us. Well, last week I ended up calling "security" and waited outside the house for them to show up. I was worried the dog was about to get out of the garage. "Security" contacted the owner and the man said his children were there. By the time "security" made it over to the house the owner had come by and pushed the screen back into the garage window just a bit. "Security" told the boys and the parent not to play basketball after 9pm... I heard it myself. I know they had this problem out on SunSet Isles a few months ago with a group of boys playing basketball in a vacant houses driveway. I spoke to the boys and they told me it was their uncles house. I'm not sure if that's the truth or not, but I haven't seen them hanging out there quite like they use to. I guess I'm just writing this to let you know what I found out and that those boys do actually live there even though the place looks abandoned. I thought for months it was a "foreclosure" like so many of them have become. I do know down this end of the loop I heard an alarm going off in one of the abandoned houses and the front door was left ajar. I cautiously went in and looked for anyone that shouldn't be in there. Luckily, nobody was around and I pulled the door shut on my way out. I am surrounded by quite a few empty houses and I am constantly watching what's going on. I guess that neighborhood watch has pretty much landed in my lap since everyone else in sight has moved.
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Dan I really appreciate you informing the rest of us on what's going on in our community. I think that if it wasn't for this blog we wouldn't know what's going on in our community, because the association nor Avatar really do anything to inform us of what's going on. Last year when I lived on Somerset Circle my two cars parked in my driveway were vandalized and when I let Avatar know they didn't care whatsoever and when I made the comment that I felt the streets here were too dark and people are concealed to do anything they want to they just said that they're up to code with the requirements of street lights and that they were not going to add any more. In all, nobody cares of what happens to us but ourselves. Now that I live on Harborside I feel things are better here, at least I don't see certain things I used to see on Somerset Circle. I however do experience the pesky teenagers walking in the middle of the streets like the own it (very annoying" I feel that some tragedy is going to happen because of this. What other thing I do want to ask is, what's the number of the house with the net? because I rented my house on Somerset Circle and did notice that they put a basketball net in the driveway. Thank you
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Why do we have speed limit? the reason I ask that is because those of us who obey it are subject to those who would like to still be doing 50 mph and when you're in front of them they go crazy. I mean I'm tired that because I'm going 25 or 30 mph the person behind me gets annoyed and start tailgating me, changing lights, yelling stuff at me etc. What the heck is wrong with people? if there's a speed limit, obey it! I mean, it's for our own safety that there's a speed limit. Thank you
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People seem to think the speed limit is optional, just like they do on Pleasant Hill, and 50MPH ? wow, on Forest Park Dr that would be an improvement to see them going that slow, and some of these vehicles driving way over the speed limit don't have civilian tags either and lets just say they of all people should know better. Along the same lines I'd probably die from shock if i ever saw anyone actually stopping for a stop sign around here.
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Kenia,
You are right. And here's the thing. Avatar should care. They are the ones who ultimately in the end has a rep to uphold. I think its a bit foolish to let Bellalago get to the average neighborhood standards.
People know Bellalago as being a nice quiet and beautiful community. But if that changes people will just see it as the average neighborhood with association fees. The value will drop and so will the (quality) people who move in here.
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Dan, do you attend the Community Watch meetings? If not, perhaps you should. Anyway, these are the very things that Deputy Beltran has mentioned numerous times that warrent a call to the police, not our impotent security.
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We've already seen a degradation in the quality of the community with the vast number of renters who just don't care about anything. As far as Avatar caring, its a business, and if there isn't anything in it for them they aren't motivated to care.
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I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE OTHER AVATAR COMMUNITY, "SOLIVITA", SECURITY PATROLS IN VEHICLES THAT ARE MARKED "SHERIFF COMMUNITY PATROL", DRIVEN BY A RESIDENT! I AM SURE THAT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT DETERENT IN THE COMMUNITY. ALL THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IS OBSERVE AND CONTACT THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT WHILE THEY OBSERVED ANY WRONG DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. IF IT CAN BE AFFECTIVE IN SOLIVITA WHY NOT HERE AS WELL. THERE ARE MORE THAN FEW RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IF THEY HAVE THE TIME WHY NOT LET THEM PATROL IN A MARKED "SHERIFF'S VEHICLE". I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME TYPE OF TRAINING MIGHT BE INVOLVED, AND KNOWING THE LAWS IN THE STATE AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY WOULD ASSIST THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR DUTIES AS WELL. WITH THIS TRAINING AND HAVING LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD STOP A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY ONLY , AND INFORCE ONLY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE EXPECTED OF ITS RESIDENCE, INCLUDING THE YOUNG ONES THAT THINK THEY CAN DO WHAT EVER THEY PLEASE WHEN THEY PLEASE. THE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM COULD AND WOULD STOP A LOT OF PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY START JUST BY DRIVING AROUND AND TAKING INFORMATION AND OBSERVING PROBLEMS , THEN INFORMING THE SHERIFF'S PATROL OF INCIDENTS THAT THEY HAVE OBSERVED AS FAR AS TRAFFIC, KIDS ON GO CARTS SPEEDING AROUND THE STREETS, SPEEDER'S, JUST BY GETTING THEIR REGISTRATIONS THEY CAN LET THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S DEAL WITH THEM. PERHAPS , THE SHERIFF COULD IF HE WISHED GIVE THE INDIVIUALS SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT POWER AS TO GETTING INFORMATION FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN FACT ACTING SUSPICIOUS, DISREGARDING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. THEY CAN BE CALLED "COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER'S" .OUR SECURTY AT THE FRONT GATE I BELIEVE, DOESN'T DO THAT FUNCTION. I BELIEVE THEY CAN BE DOING A LOT MORE WITH REGARDS TO KEEPING THE COMMUNITY THE WAY THE RESIDENCE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE. WHILE WE ARE PAYING A VERY HIGH PRICE FOR THE SHERIFF'S SERVICES IN BELLALAGO TO HAVE THEM PATROLLING AROUND THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE BEING PAID STRICTLY BY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO HAVE OUR OWN MARKED UNIT PATROLLING MORE OFTEN THAN TO PAY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR SERVICES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ARE PAYING TWICE FOR SECURITY, FIRST, FOR THE CONTRACTED SECURITY AT THE GATE AND PATROL, AND THE SECOND FOR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ALSO ALMOST DOING THE SAME THING, WHEN WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER I AM SURE. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF THE RESIDENCE WITH REGARDS TO THIS IDEA. IF THERE ARE ENOUGH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTED THAN IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO. IT ALSO MIGHT HELP WITH SOME COST THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR THE PATROL WE HAVE NOW WITH THE CONTRACTED GUARDS ,THAT HAVE LITTLE POWER WITH REGARDS TO THE S.O.P.S THAT THEY HAVE FROM AVATAR!
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This service is being offered to the residents here and they are looking for volunteers to fill these roles. It was discussed at the last Nighborhood Crime Watch Meeting which was last Wed. night at the Amenity center.
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Has anyone else gotten a call from security from some random person trying to get in. We got a call from security about someone named "Wendy" here to see us a couple weeks (maybe a month) ago. At first I thought it was a communication error or something, but now the same thing has happened again today, only with a different name. To top it off, the security person was apparently obnoxious when my wife told him/her w/e that we don't know this person and that this is not the first time this has happened. I'm not sure how this has happened twice, if they go by address or phone number or what these random people want, but something seems awfully fishy to me.
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Lately I haven't been getting calls when I should be from the security shack. I've had at least 4 people get through the gate with no phone call being made to me. I am not too happy about this and I hope with the gate changes some of the security rules will be followed once again. We pay quite a bit for the feeling that we have one more piece of protection but now I'm doubting it.
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Please be advice that on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd I saw burglar attempting to break into my car around midnight. Of course, the individual ran when he saw me. I called police and was advise that lately they have been lot of attempts to steal GPS system in car. Have anyone came across or been victim of these crime of recent in our community/Bellalago? Any suggestion(s) or recommendation to address petty crime in our communities?
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I totally agree with you about the stop sign, the other night I was going to Publix and this car ran the stop sign and almost hit me when I was passing the entrance to Bella Isle in IOB.
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This happens a lot here in IOB, especially when I order food, sometimes I get a call and other times, absolutely nothing. They really need to verify with residents before they let people in. Speeding is another issue, my husband was walking around the block with my son while he rode his power wheel and a car comes speeding down the street and almost hits my son, then he has the nerve to be upset when my husband yells at him to slow down. Bellalago will soon lose it's value as Luxury family homes and resort style living, if they don't step it up in security.
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