VERO BEACH — Several things set the Nov. 12 robbery of a Moorings home apart from the other two: The front door was kicked in. Only a few items were taken, which were not particularly valuable. And, a witness saw the getaway car and the thief.
All three burglaries, spanning 10 days between Nov. 9 and Nov. 22 occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on workdays, and a thief (or thieves) took mostly jewelry. All three were an eerie repeat of burglaries that occurred in mid-November in Riomar the year before — almost as if thieves are making it a tradition to come to the barrier island before Thanksgiving to help themselves.
On Nov. 12 of this year, the first Moorings burglary occurred between noon and 1 p.m., when Jake, the pool guy, arrived at an older home on Mooringline Drive at about 12:25 p.m. (The last name and the name of the pool maintenance company are withheld at the request of police.) Jake noticed an unfamiliar white sedan with dark-tinted windows parked in the driveway and figured the homeowners must have a guest. From where he was, he couldn’t see the front door.
But before he got to the backyard, a man, whom Jake described as “a white guy between 45 and 55” walked to the car and drove off at about 12:45 p.m.
When the homeowner (whose name is withheld) arrived home at 1:15 p.m., he first saw the front door kicked in, then discovered his rubber clogs missing, along with a watch and some cufflinks.
Antique guns and rifles had been moved from where they were kept, but left in the house, and a large safe had scratches and gashes in the metal, showing a failed attempt to open it.
The security system in the home had not been activated.
Two days later, a house on Windward Way in The Moorings was burgled, also close to noon. This time, however, the thief simply entered through the open front door, which homeowners left unlocked when the wife quickly drove her husband to The Moorings Golf Club and dropped him off.
Upon returning within 15 minutes, she discovered jewelry and cash missing.
The third burglary occurred a week later in an oceanfront condominium at Southwinds in The Moorings. This heist was the largest of the three with jewelry valued at close to $15,000 taken.
Despite a security gate and patrolling security officers, the thief entered the ground floor condo through an open sliding glass door on the beach, when the homeowner – a widow in her mid-80s – went out to lunch.
“These residents are embarrassed over not locking their doors or turning their alarms on, but it serves as a lesson to all of us to lock up and take the necessary precautions even if we’re leaving our homes for only a few minutes,” said George Bryant, president of The Moorings Property Owners Association.
After the third burglary, Bryant sent an email out to over 700 residences in The Moorings.
“This latest robbery underscores the need for all residents to be alert, vigilant and cautious,” it said. “If you see any suspicious persons or activity, please notify MPOA Security at 231-1612 or the Sheriff’s Department at its non-emergency telephone number: 978-6240.”
