Residents in the Torino community are being targeted by unknown thieves who are using stolen garage door openers to access their homes, according to Port St. Lucie police.
Several burglaries have been reported throughout Torino, all of which involved unlocked cars, stolen garage openers and burglarized homes. Homes that have been targeted include those in the 5700 and 5800 blocks of NW Canada Street, the 5900 block of NW Conus Street, and the 6000 block of NW Winfield Drive.
The first incident was reported Jan. 7. The burglar gained access to the garage using the garage door opener purloined from an unlocked vehicle parked outside. The thief then entered the home through an unlocked door and stole a purse and iPad. A credit card from the stolen purse was later reported used in the Fort Lauderdale area, according to police.
The same day, another burglary was reported, on NW Conus Street. The victim told police they found the door that connects the house to the garage was open and the garage door was partially open as well.
The two vehicles parked in the driveway had been burglarized and the garage door opener was missing from one of the cars. Also taken were winning Florida Lottery scratch-offs.
Police began to canvass the community and discovered a third car burglary. A car and trailer in a driveway were burglarized and a debit card was taken. The card was later used at a gas station in Fort Lauderdale. The home, located on NW Canada Street, had video surveillance, which was turned over to investigators. The footage shows a suspect rummaging through the car at 4:28 a.m. Jan. 7.
The suspect is described as a black male standing approximately 6 feet tall, according to police.
Police responded to a fourth home around 10:15 a.m. Jan. 7 regarding cars and a home being burglarized and a vehicle stolen. In this case, the suspect took a garage door opener from an unlocked car and accessed the garage and house. The suspect stole a purse, computer and car keys. He drove off in a stolen 2012 Mercedes C-250, police said.
Along with reminding all residents to lock their vehicles and remove garage openers from their vehicles, police ask anyone with any information regarding the burglaries to call Port St. Lucie police at 772-871-5001 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-TIPS (8477).