Crime in Davenport

[dynomike red]

On the recent terrible news of Gary’s villa being burgled[msnsad], can anyone tell me what davenport is like in relation to crimes on communities? We all have undesirable parts of our cities that are close to nice parts, is this the same with davenport and has it become an easy target. Are the police tackling the problem if there is a problem? We have just booked a villa in the same community were Gary’s villa was situated we also stayed there 3 years ago and found it fantastic
I don’t want to scare people and I know that Florida on a whole is a very safe place to stay, I would just like an “insiders” view on things
Mike

[caroline]

Hi Mike

Davenport is in Polk county which is geographically a very large county, I'm on the board of directors for our community (Calabay Parc) which is a couple of miles away from where Garry is staying. I can assure you that Davenport is still a very safe area, with statistically lower crime rates in our county than for Florida in general. I get regular updates from Sheriff Grady Judd and in his March 2011 Newsletter he states...

Our crime rate is now nearly 1/3 less than the state crime rate.
We are enjoying historically low crime rates in Polk County. This great crime report
is a tribute to our proactive crime fighting and crime prevention efforts and the
diligent and dedicated work of our members in partnership with the community.

That said burglary can and does happen anywhere, which is why many villa owners provide monitored alarm systems (the police respond to these alarms within minutes of them sounding) and safes for valuables, typically burglars will pick targets where they think they have the most chance of not getting caught, so if they see a house with alarm signs plastered all over it, hopefully they will move on and leave it alone. You can never stop all crime but we can all make it more difficult for these lowlife.

[Katys Grandad]

I dare say that with a bit of searching online you could find the answer to your question. What I'm less sure about is what those figure would tell you. The bottom line for me is that wherever you live there is always a chance that you'll be a victim of crime but even where the risk is relatively high, the chances of it actually occurring are small.

If you take care, buy adequate insurance and follow some simple precautions with yourself and your property, it really shouldn't preoccupy your thoughts on holiday. It might happen and if it does it must be dreadful but the odds are very much in your favour that it won't.

[SDJ]

Caroline is correct in what she is saying. We are also in Davenport although 5/6 miles away from where Garry was staying.

Guests need to be careful when they leave their villas and ensure all doors and windows are locked, and valuables are not left 'on view'. It is the easiest thing in the world in the excitement of getting your family out and about, to forget to set the alarm each and every time you leave the villa. There are always opportunists who will try anything for a quick buck, so you need to make it more difficult for them by ensuring you have done all you can before going out for the day.

Our villa has an alarm and the number of guests who don't bother to switch it on is unbelievable. How do I know this? My MC has to visit the villa for various reasons and inevitably just walks in without the alarm going off. They always set it so when the guests arrive back, hopefully they will learn to use it during their stay even though we ask them to use it ALL the time.

Don't allow yourself to be unduly concerned about the villa you have rented being targeted. Just be sensible and have a great time.

Sandra

[steph_goodrum]

Good advice from Katys Grandad and others. Burglaries can happen in hotels and houses and in highly populated and isolated areas so it is impossible to say it can never happen to anyone on holiday or resident. Unfortunately there are too many lazy people who can't be bothered to work hard for what they want like the majority of the population and help themselves to others posessions.

Use the security features installed and take sensible precautions, you'd be surprised how many people leave doors and windows unlocked on cars and buildings. As most people take their cameras with them most of the time it;s a good idea to put all your valuables together and photograph them so you can identify exactly what is there should you be unfortunate.

If there isn't a safe in the villa then find yourself the most secure spot you can to leave them.
Without being too obvious here (unfortunately bad guys read forums too sometimes) look for the least likely place a burglar would look.

To answer the question though, we have a villa in Davenport and belieive it is no better nor worse than other regions.

[peterB]

I am just curious to hear at what community the terrible events to Gary and his family took place ?

[Father]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by peterB
I am just curious to hear at what community the terrible events to Gary and his family took place ?

[/quote]

Highlands Reserve I think.

[dynomike red]

It was yes but highlands is one of the most sort after communities according to Florida web sites, we also stayed there 3 years ago and it was fantastic[msnsmile2]
Thanks for the replies regarding this subject
I understand that crime happens all over the world and that u should take precautions to stop it happening to you just like you would when you were at home. I have also looked on the internet like kattysgrandad suggested and can see on polka crime stoppers web site that they have a very low crime rate. This is encouraging to know that they are doing all they can to keep the crime rate down
I suppose Florida is just like every other big state and any big city at home i.e. tones of good points but unfortunately also bad

[Sandra M]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SDJ
Caroline is correct in what she is saying. We are also in Davenport although 5/6 miles away from where Garry was staying.

Guests need to be careful when they leave their villas and ensure all doors and windows are locked, and valuables are not left 'on view'. It is the easiest thing in the world in the excitement of getting your family out and about, to forget to set the alarm each and every time you leave the villa. There are always opportunists who will try anything for a quick buck, so you need to make it more difficult for them by ensuring you have done all you can before going out for the day.

Our villa has an alarm and the number of guests who don't bother to switch it on is unbelievable. How do I know this? My MC has to visit the villa for various reasons and inevitably just walks in without the alarm going off. They always set it so when the guests arrive back, hopefully they will learn to use it during their stay even though we ask them to use it ALL the time.

Don't allow yourself to be unduly concerned about the villa you have rented being targeted. Just be sensible and have a great time.

Sandra
[/quote]

Like Sandra says, it's important to be vigilant on holiday as you would in your home here.

We had German guests stay once and their flight back to Germany meant they had to leave the villa at 2am - when our MC went in the next day to do the exit clean, all the bedroom windows had been left wide open[msnoo]

How crazy is that!! Luckily we are on a gated community with a security patrol but that's not the point - would they have left their own home with and gone out with all the windows open??? I doubt it.

Like anywhere else in the wolrd you just have to be sensible

Sandra

[FraserLynn]

Is it best to stay in gated communities? we have stayed in both gated and ungated in the past and never really thought about the difference. I guess no one expects something like this to happen and of course the odds are really, really low, but it staying on a gated community a good way to reduce the odds further?