PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Dozens of residents west of Lake Worth woke up Monday morning to find their cars either broken into or stolen.
“It’s not fair. You shouldn’t have to live in fear in your own home," a Strawberry Lakes resident told WPTV.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said in total 46 cars were burglarized and two cars were stolen. The burglaries happened in the Strawberry Lakes neighborhood and the Blue Pines community.
“I go outside, and I was horrified. There were thousands of shards of glass in the driveway. They got me and my husband’s car on the front seat passenger side," a resident said. "We have to pay $550 to get both windows fixed."
The spokesperson for PBSO said no arrests have been made.
Neighbors told WPTV they like the area, but it comes with its set of challenges.
"It used to be great when I moved here 23 years ago," a resident said.
President of the Strawberry Lakes homeowners association Marc Azucar said a security company patrols the area in the afternoons.
“We want to cover the school bus," Azucar said, "and we also want to make sure that when nightfall hits that we have coverage there."
He said he now plans to extend the hours for security, but budget concerns also need to be considered.
“It’s just our budget, we couldn’t find that much, I guess 24/7 coverage," Azucar said. "That would be a little bit difficult.”
Several residents told WPTV they now plan to purchase and install their own security systems, but doing so comes at a substantial cost.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is urging residents in the area to lock their doors, bring key fobs inside, and don't leave personal belongings inside the car.
