Three houses and eight vehicles were burglarized in a 24-hour period in Palm Coast on Wednesday night into Thursday. Jewelry was stolen in one house burglary, four guns and $7,000 in cash in another, but most of the other burglaries seemed hurried jobs that lifted trivial items or nothing at all. In most of the car burglaries, the vehicles had been left unlocked. In two cases, windows were smashed.
All but one of the burglaries took place either in Seminole Woods or in the C-Section, with the outlier taking place in the F Section, which neighbors the C Section. No one was hurt. There are no suspects in any of the burglaries.
Here’s a run-down, starting with the house burglaries.
At 233 Ullian Trail, a burglary alarm alerted deputies to the property at close to noon on Thursday. When they got there, the front door had been forced in, cracked and severely bent from top to bottom. A perimeter was set up and the home was cleared with the help of K-9, finding no one inside. Numerous pieces of jewelry were on the floor of the master bedroom. A jewelry box was missing from the closet. A drawer from the jewelry box was broken off and found on the floor of the bedroom next to the jewelry. Dresser drawers were opened but nothing was taken. The victim told police the only thing that appeared to be missing was the jewelry box. Several pieces of jewelry were found on the porch.
At 3 Sexton Place, the locks on the back inside window were broken and suggested the point of entry at that home burglary. One of the home owners had left the house at 8:30 to drop off children at school and hadn’t returned until mid-afternoon to notice a safe sitting on her back patio with numerous papers on the floor. Credit cards and other items had been removed from the safe. Items had been taken from the children’s room. A safe in the master bedroom had been pried open and several guns stolen, along with $7,000 in cash. Later that day, a landscaper contacted deputies and handed them a Home Depot credit card, and a Bank of America debit card he found in the area of Sergeant Court, where he’d been working. The Home Depot card belonged to the homeowner. The debit card belonged to another resident who’d reported her cards stolen on July 30.
The guns stolen from the Sexton Place house include a Llama 1911 .45 caliber with a silver finish, a Witness .45 caliber with a black finish, and two Glocks with black finishes.
The third burglary took place at 6 Folson Lane in Palm Coast. Aside from being outside the C Section or Seminole Woods, the pattern was the same. The homeowner had left to drop off a child at school and go to work, and upon returning at 5 p.m., discovered the crime. The rear sliding door had been pried open and the lock had been ripped out of the door frame. The other sliding glass door directly beside the damaged one was also open, unlocked as if someone had exited through it. The damaged door was no longer operable and could not be closed.
Yet nothing was missing from the house, after the homeowner conducted a walk-through.
At 376 Underwood Trail, someone smashed the driver’s side window of a 2008 Toyota Tacoma overnight as it sat in the driveway. Nothing was taken from the vehicle, and it appeared to the car’s owner “as if someone broke and pulled the window out for no reason,” an incident report states.
At 3 Universal Trail, same story: someone smashed the driver’s side, front window on a 2015 BMW overnight. The owner had left a backpack on the passenger seat. It now sat on the driver’s seat. Yet nothing was missing from it. A neighbor told a deputy that she’d not seen anything in the previous 24 hours, but that two weeks ago she herself had been the victim of a burglary when someone broke into her vehicle, but took nothing.
At 13 Union Court, a Nissan Titan was broken into–without damage, suggesting that it had not been locked. A radar detector valued at $100 was stolen, so were tools and a change purse with about $15. Neighbors are snowbirds so were not available as witnesses, and since the car owner had already driven the vehicle since the burglary, it could not be usefully processed for evidence.
At 311 Underwood Trail, the 2017 Toyota Corolla parked in the driveway was burglarized, though through no forced entry, suggesting the car had been left unlocked. The vehicle information booklet was dropped on the floorboard on the passenger side. The center console and the glove box’s lids were open. Nothing of value appeared to have been taken.
At 39 Undershire Path, a house surrounded by woods, a 2016 Jeep Patriot was burglarized to the extent that the sun visors were put in the down position, the center console lid was up, and the glove box was left open. Again, the vehicle information booklet was left on the passenger’s side floorboard. Nothing of value was missing. The owner thinks he accidentally left the car unlocked.
A 4 Colorado Drive, a 2017 Chevy Trax was broken into (it had been left unlocked), and the center console and glove box were rummaged through. But nothing was missing. The car owner had been late picking up her daughter from school so the car was not processed–and the owner had cleaned the car anyway, eliminating the chance of finding much of evidentiary value, an incident report states. (Victims of burglaries are advised to leave the area of the crime untouched to enable more useful processing by the sheriff’s crime scene units.) A deputy detected a surveillance camera at a neighboring house, but “the pool-cleaning guy advised that the homeowners are not here. He stated that this is a second home and he does not know when the owners would be returning,” the incident report states.
At 6 Corning Court in Palm Coast, the 2006 Toyota 4Runner parked out front was burglarized, without forced entry, sometime during the night. Some $5 in loose change was taken. Same story at 8 Corning Court, where a 2016 Ford F150, left unlocked, was burglarized. But nothing was missing. The car owner told deputies “there was a white male that rode his bicycle on his street yesterday afternoon and walked around to the backside of a residence for sale,” according to an incident report. The owner took a picture of the male and emailed it to a deputy.
Sheriff’s deputies are actively looking to locate and identify stolen items, as well as increase patrols in residential areas, according to a sheriff’s release issued this afternoon. They are also working closely with other agencies, including the Daytona Beach Police Department, which are experiencing the same sort of increase in these types of crimes.
“If you see something suspicious, no matter how minor, please report it to the Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Rick Staly is quoted as saying in the release. “If you hear glass breaking or car alarms, or if you see someone suspicious in your neighborhood, call us. While we are increasing our patrols, we cannot be in all places at all times. We need the community’s help.”
The Investigative Services Division of the Sheriff’s Office is following up on all leads and potential suspects in these cases. The Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to report any and all tips to the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line (386) 313-4911 or [email protected] or to CrimeStoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). You may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.00 for information leading to an arrest.
Sw says
Dirt bags
GWOT Veteran says
While I appreciate the work of the Sheriff’s Office, if I hear glass breaking I will grab my gun first then call them after the threat has been eliminated.
Veteran says
If someone breaks into my house while I’m home they will be leaving in a horizontal position. These punks were smart enough to break in when no one home. Too many people with guns these days. Thank you second amendment.
Veteran says
For sure GWOT.
Lou says
Get them off the street and make them do yardwork for the victims.
R. F. says
We lived in the B section for 26 years. I foiled one attempted burglary. Years later our house was ransacked. We had a double murder on our street. We had a carjacking on our street that ended badly for the victim. Gangs, drugs, home invasions, hand grenades in the street and even drive by shootings are not uncommon events in Palm Coast any more. Palm Coast was a great town years ago. Now, it’s an open sewer. We moved out of state and have ZERO regrets about leaving Flagler County!
Sandi Sites says
Wow – I’ve been here 9 years now and haven’t heard anything about gangs, hand grenades or drive by being common events in PC or Flagler County. Open sewer? Harsh. Maybe they’ve moved away now, out of state likely. Zero regrets.
Thomas says
It is about time for the Mayor and her City Council to get interested in our crime problem.
snapperhead says
I reckin these hoodlums haven’t heard there’s a new sheriff in town and plenty of room at the Green roof inn. So you have to ask yourselves one question you punks….do you feel lucky?
Joe Kenda says
we need more cops on the street and courts that keep the thugs in jail once they are caught!! NO plea bargains NONE
Anonymous says
There are a few guys I went to high school with who are now facing the possibility of a lifetime in prison. One was arrested for burglary in Palm Coast as a repeat offender and had a handful of news articles written about him in one day, some of them very thorough. I then found a dozen more news articles about him from previous years, detailing the entire history of his criminal activity in Palm Coast. The other was arrested for murder in New York City when he stabbed a guy to death on a busy street in broad daylight. The guy in New York barely had any coverage of his crime, I could not find more than two vague news snippets about him even multiple weeks after the fact. While crime is a problem in Palm Coast, I don’t think it is as bad as many people make it out to be. The amount of coverage every little crime gets in Palm Coast makes it seem worse than it really is.
palmcoaster says
Unfortunately we have also cases often on which some wealthy and addicted local residents in otherwise nice communities including HOA’s are addicted to sex (w/young women) and substances and attracting drug dealers prostitutes and felons into our neighborhoods! These felons are taken back to jail time and time again just to be released after 3 months or less of incarceration in the Flagler County jail until the judge, in their last hearing let them go because our State Attorney deems the cases not prosecutable over “Announcement of No Information” and also the lies told by these felons under oath in court. One of these felons that I witnessed posted in 2016 alone over $15,000 in bonds/bails to go free and we can all imagine were those funds come from.. Meanwhile our otherwise great community has to endure the dedicated Flagler County Sheriff officers doing what they can, raiding again and again the wealthy elderly residence taking felons to jail just to be release again after a while. The drug trafficking is unbelievable in our block thru out the days and worse at night! Some of these young men involved and taken to jail are transient’s with concealed (knifes or guns) weapons and felon records hosted by the addicted home owner. Probably when they can make money selling drugs they resource to steal. There is a common appearance of all this young felons are mostly white, skinny sports many tatoes and at times women with very blue, pink, silver and purple hair, many males arrive in bicycles. all day in and out! I am all for drug rehab but not in this very dangerous way in our communities.
Jennie says
I live in Seminole woods. Month ago we had fishing poles stolen out of our boat at 10am. Luckily for us we had them caught on video. The 2 kids were only 12 and 15. Hope everyone gets their belongings back. I hate a theft.
Rick Kang says
Time to increase the number of police officers! Get to know your neighbors and organize a crime watch! Lock your vehicles,house doors,sheds,etc.
Concerned Observer says
These thugs will eventually be caught, thanks to our diligent Sherriff’s Office and those citizens willing to step up and report them. They are all known by someone. When their names are published, GOOGLE them. You will find that far too often that their arrest was NOT their first time at bat. When they are finally caught AGAIN, they will all too often be released to further perpetrate their behavior on our city. It’s time to move our “Catch and Release” judges from the Criminal Justus bench to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Remember them when you vote in the next election.
palmcoaster says
As I am not a legal expert, then I am concerned at this point that are not the judges fault to have to release them on bail/bond dozens of times, but is the fault of our district State Attorney/Prosecutor that comes up with “Announcement of No Information” to not prosecute, then the judge has to work with the tools he/she are handled? These felons are let go after: driving with suspended license, possession of drug paraphernalia and cocaine, marijuana, prescriptions, and cooking in our community a lab meth, weapons possession, driving while DUI, running red lights, theft etc. etc., Florida law too lenient. My experience is that Sheriff officers do all they can, while their hands are tight and we all appreciate it. We have a neighborhood watch in our non gated HOA and we have this nuisance going on for over 18 months now since we had the misfortune that this wealthy elderly addict bought a house here. We are doing all we can reporting and legally demanding the culprit to stop the activities.
We can’t control if an old addicted that looks high at all times including while driving, wants to live his life like that , using, buying, selling drugs and prostitution, but he can do it in a larger unincorporated area property were he won’t endanger any other lives but his own not in the middle of a residential community with otherwise peacefully living children and good elders as well.
Joey D says
Lock & Load.
Anonymous says
gotta say concerned, you are on the money!!
truth says
Crime is related to poverty and drug use 99% of the time. Maybe if we had any social resources for anyone under 65 this wouldnt happen
Anonymous says
I hear these comments about grabbing your gun shooting someone etc we’ll all I have to say that u have better have lawyer money after the bullet leaves the barrel . Many years ago when I was a young policeman I almost kill a 16-year-old boy during a car chase it was a bad decision to shoot thank God he was not killed, think very clearly before you pull the trigger . You may have the Second Amendment but you are really going to have to articulate your actions
The Geode says
The comments you hear about “getting your gun” are from bloviators who and dream of being some kind of “Wyatt Earp” character without actually having the moxie. They don’t realize that just by the nature of the other guy being a CRIMINAL (and also having a gun) he is more likely to have the upper-hand on them.
South florida says
Not in the r section for once. It sucks its happening everywhere.
Swas + Goodbye says
Car break-ins are common and an invited nuisance. It’s easy to say to lock your cars and they will not happen. I know, I do not blame, we all forget at times to lock up, but we must never forget opportunistic crime. I know that if I was a burglar, and after trying 20 cars I had no luck, I’d give up and get a job. The Geode is right, put down the Cullen Bohannon (Netflix Hell on Wheels reference, show rocks) attitude that we all want to play, and realize that opportunistic crime’sters get you when you’re not prepared. I’m not saying to not be prepared, just saying not to be fooled. Lock up, and double check.
Citizens should also report unlicensed door-to-door salesmen. I kinda believe most of these guys/gals are possibly spotters for target homes or cars. Call the Flagler non-emergency line if you suspect you have one, and if one appears at your door scare the crap out of them by not opening your door and asking to see a permit. Do not take the “it’s in my car” or “it’s with my bosses car” crap. Tell them cops are enroute, and to have a nice hot case of “swas” day in your door-to-door, feels like 112, tribute to whatever you’re up to – but get off my door step.
C'mon man says
Good point, shooting someone dead in your driveway, because they stole some change from your center console might be rather difficult to explain.
Just sayin' says
Stop complaining and stop thinking it WONT happen to you! It will eventually.
Buy cameras like I did, buy a gun or guns in my case like I did, call ADT and get an alarm system like we did and shut the brats down before they have a chance to do anything. It’s common sense, well for me anyway.
Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words!
Anonymous says
Maybe cops should be out looking for this type of crime and not writing parking tickets! Far too often I am seeing cops parked back in the bushes or side by side with another copy chewing the fat!!! Time to get to work boys and girl.
Outsider says
I agree Palm Coast has gone downhill; that’s why I left 8 years ago. Out here in “the country” there is an occasional minor problem, but crime, for the most part is much lower than in P.C., and for good reason; everyone is armed to the teeth. Good luck fleeing a house down a 250 foot driveway trying to outrun a good case of lead poisoning.
Whatever says
Anonymous, !! First of all there are very few “parking tickets ” written in PC.
Secondly, you have no idea how much paperwork is involved in police work. Finding a spot where you can get caught up on reports, emails, chats, etc. and still listen to the radio and watch the call
log is part of the job. As far as “chewing the fat” did it ever occur to you they might be exchanging information, waiting for backup to get in place to serve a warrant, or discussing a case? Think before you post !
blondee says
Yeah, put all your sh*t in your garage and then park your $30,000 car on your driveway. Unlocked.