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ANNE BROACHEThieves break into several vehicles in Meadow Pointe and Seven Oaks, stealing credit cards, CDs and other items.
WESLEY CHAPEL - A month after thieves and vandals swept some Wesley Chapel neighborhoods, two communities were hit Sunday night, sheriff's deputies said.
The disturbances happened after the Meadow Pointe and Seven Oaks subdivisions experienced a rash of car thefts and burglaries.
This time, residents of Meadow Pointe and the Lakes subdivisions, located opposite each other off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, reported incidents.
Sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin warned residents, even those living in gated communities, not to have a false sense of security.
Tobin suggested that if residents wake up in the middle of the night, they should glance outside and see if any suspicious people are roaming.
"But the biggest thing is being sure you lock up your car," he said. "And look inside to make sure you haven't left anything that might tempt someone to break in."
The Sheriff's Office reported no suspects Tuesday and no arrests from the break-ins in May. Tobin said his detectives tend to see more criminal mischief during the summer but would not speculate on whether juveniles were involved.
In the Lakes, three vehicles were burglarized about 10 p.m. Sunday.
Credit cards and a digital camera valued at $200 were stolen from an unlocked Ford pickup truck, reports stated.
About $1,000 worth of audio equipment and compact discs were reported stolen from a Chevrolet sport-utility vehicle and a Pontiac convertible, both parked at a nearby house. The thief entered the convertible after cutting its top, but the SUV was unlocked, reports stated.
On the same street, the rear driver's side window of a Mercedes-Benz was smashed, but nothing was stolen, reports stated.
About 11 p.m. in the 4,000-home Meadow Pointe community, someone broke the vent window of a Jeep's left rear passenger door and unlocked it to gain entry. A Museum of Science and Industry seasonal pass and $65 in cash were stolen, reports stated.
About the same time, someone entered a Dodge van parked at a nearby home through an unlocked door, reports stated. A digital camera valued at $600, a PlayStation game system worth $100 and $10 in cash were reported missing.
On the night of May 24 and morning of May 25, a Lexus and a Dodge minivan were stolen from the driveways of separate Meadow Pointe homes, though the minivan was recovered.
Loose change, wallets, compact discs, cameras, jewelry, at least one car stereo and other items were stolen from at least 10 other cars.
Unlocked doors provided entry to most of the cars, reports stated.
- Information from Times files was used in this report.