PORT ORANGE, Fla. – With mild temperatures overnight, you may be tempted to open a patio or screen door. But you might want to think twice before doing that.
Local 6 met several residents in Port Orange who now know firsthand that leaving your back patio or screen door unlocked could unlock an opportunity for crime.
On Local 6's crime tracker map, you can see four break-ins occurred in less than half a mile. Thieves in the Sterling Chase subdivision entered patios and home through unlocked screen doors.
Dotte DeMaria, 77, was home asleep when someone opened her unlocked screen door and took what they could find from her patio.
"The camera gone, the binoculars were gone and did I get scared? I got scared," said DeMaria.
In another case, a thief stole an outdoor TV. That homeowner heard the commotion and went outside, but all he saw was a white SUV taking-off down the street.
The suspect then stopped in front of another home and honked the horn. A second suspect was spotted running from the back of that house toward the vehicle.
In that case, five people were asleep when the suspect entered the home through an unlocked patio door. He got away with $7,000 worth of jewelry.
"They could have knives, they could have guns, they could be snuck up on by accident and they could really hurt somebody," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.
Residents hope their experience is a wake-up call to lock doors. One victim has since installed motion lights and replaced the stolen TV, securing the new one with a chain.
DeMaria has also made changes.
"From now on, the whole storm door goes down every night which I didn't do before, but now I'll keep it down," said DeMaria.
Despite the description of two suspects in a white SUV, no arrests have been made in any of these break-ins.
If you are concerned or see crime in your neighborhood email lbell@clickorlando.com and we'll investigate it.