VERO BEACH — A Vero Beach City Councilwoman’s vehicle was one of four burglarized overnight Saturday in the Central Beach area of the city, the Vero Beach Police Department reported Sunday.
Lt. John Pedersen said the four vehicles burglarized Saturday and another Friday had been left unlocked. He confirmed that a vehicle in Carroll’s driveway was used to gain access to the garage.
“They stole a golf cart out of my garage and broke into a trailer we had in the back of stuff from our business,” said Councilwoman Tracy Carroll, who owns a design-build firm with her husband, John.
Lt. Pedersen said the golf cart was recovered in an area where other vehicles had been burglarized. Some stolen property was recovered with the golf cart. He said officers are working to return the stolen items to their rightful owners.
“My golf cart was being used as the getaway vehicle,” Carroll said. “I guess they drove it up A1A into the mayor’s (Jay Kramer) neighborhood and started robbing people there. On the golf cart they found laptops and phones and money.”
Carroll said she has not yet gotten her golf cart back, that it has been towed and is in a storage yard that will not be open until Monday.
She said she was told she has to pay for the towing to the storage yard and back because the golf cart is not “street legal” to drive back to her home and that she will also have to pay the storage fees.
Lt. Pedersen said the Vero Beach Police Department continues to encourage residents to lock their vehicles and remove any valuables.
“That certainly can cut down on property being lost,” he said.
Anyone who has any suspect information reference the overnight burglaries or who thinks they saw something suspicious is encouraged to call the Vero Beach Police Department at (772) 978-4600.