Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office says out-of-county crooks burglarizing vehicles

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office says it has seen a large increase in vehicle burglaries recently, related to gang member activity. The sheriff’s office says guns have been stolen from cars and used in violent crimes elsewhere in the state.

According to the CCSO blog post, investigators say the burglars are gang members from outside the county, who are targeting Charlotte County. “The reason they are coming to Charlotte County is to take advantage of our sense of security, which we often take for granted.”

The sheriff’s office says these individuals are sneaking onto properties and taking things that are unsecured. There is surveillance that has shown they will check a car door, and if it is locked, they move on.

The crooks have not been seen smashing windows or damaging property to get access to what doesn’t belong to them. Rather, they are going after easy targets such as unlocked vehicles, especially those with valuables in plain sight.

In some instances, key fobs were left inside vehicles, and thieves have stolen cars and then used those during other crimes.

The sheriff’s office is encouraging everyone to develop safety habits to protect personal property and belongings to make it hard for these suspected criminals and anyone attempting to commit a crime.

Anyone with information related to this concern or any crime can call the CCSO non-emergency line at 941-639-0013.