kittypaws

Unfortunately this is no joke. Back in July of 2012 the Worthington Dog Park experienced its first smash and grab break-in to a car parked in the lot. Then the number of break-ins increased and the nerve of the thieves to steal in broad day light in a filled parking lot with people coming and going with their dogs is incomprehensible. I have reported 6 such break-ins where shattered glass is the only evidence and I know there have been more that have happened when I was not there.

Picture the scene. It is a beautiful, Spring, mid-morning on Saturday and everyone with a dog is coming to the Dog Park where their dog can run free and play to theirs heart’s content. No one it thinking that today they will be robbed.

We have a parking lot that is connected to the lower lot and an over-flow lot across the street; often people end up parking on the road side as well. I probably see 100 to 150 dogs on a given Saturday or Sunday. That’s a lot of dogs. Each dog must be checked for proper tags in order to gain access to the park not to mention the new visitors to the park who need an orientation so they know the requirements and rules. On this particular Saturday which was 27 April there was even more going on at the Dpk as The American Cancer Society was having a fund raiser in the park across the street (known as the Upper Park) and there was an adoption event setting up in the back of the lower parking lot. I arrived early to help Sam (the other park attendant) with the over flow. I had just pulled in and stepped out of my vehicle when a man approached me and said,

“Looks like a car was broken into.”

The Felony Lane Gang had struck again. Even with all the traffic, coming and going, they had smashed another car window and stolen a purse. According to police, the Felony Lane Gang is a group of thieves from Broward County in South Florida who travel up and down I-95 and target vehicles in parking areas where moms are most likely to leave their wallet or purse. They target parks, day care centers, public gyms - where people feel safe leaving their valuables. I don’t know how many times after a break-in dog park patrons have said to me
“But this is a dog park!”

Authorities say women then take the identification, credit card and bank checks, alter their appearance to match the victim and use rented cars to go through the outer lane (or the “felony lane”) of the drive thru. They talk on cell phones while making the transaction to distract the teller.

This is not your typical break-in where the thief runs to an outlet store to buy electronics, clothes or food. This group is out to steal your life’s earnings. They try to cash checks for tens of thousands of dollars and wreck your life with identity theft…… Even at the Dog Park.

So the message here is to never, ever leave any valuables in plain sight in your car. Be smart, be safe and spare your life from being ruined.

Words from The Dog Park….
Woof!
Kittypaws