Crime in Gated Communities - South Fort Myers (Bonita Springs, Sanibel: condo, home)

[kroeran]

Can anyone speak to crime and how important or not a gated community is?

I am at Paseo, in South Fort Myers. It feels very safe, but I wonder if I should be worried about the property when I am not there.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by kroeran

Can anyone speak to crime and how important or not a gated community is?

I am at Paseo, in South Fort Myers. It feels very safe, but I wonder if I should be worried about the property when I am not there.

This is a very general question. If you talk to a person who sells security systems, he will show you several articles about break-ins at gated communities to make a sale.

The bottom line is that, for each barrier a thief has to deal with, there is a level of protection for the resident. So a gate might deter a criminal. Then, if there's a guard at that gate who asks you to check in, that is another deterrent. Also a unit on an upper level is less likely to be vandalized.

Paseo is in a safe area, but I don't live there.

[TedTAce]

Gated communities are not immune from crime, even with a guard.

[Wack-a-Mole]

Originally Posted by justNancy

This is a very general question. If you talk to a person who sells security systems, he will show you several articles about break-ins at gated communities to make a sale.

The bottom line is that, for each barrier a thief has to deal with, there is a level of protection for the resident. So a gate might deter a criminal. Then, if there's a guard at that gate who asks you to check in, that is another deterrent. Also a unit on an upper level is less likely to be vandalized.

Paseo is in a safe area, but I don't live there.

It's nice to see other people 'get it'. 'Common' Thieves, like water, follow the 'path of least resistance'. The more 'obstacles' one can put in their way, the more likely they are to move on to easier pickings.

The best front line defense are 'nosy' neighbors.

[Wack-a-Mole]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

Gated communities are not immune from crime, even with a guard.

For sure. I know only one Couple who live in a 'gated' Community, and they had a bad case of 'false sense of security', like going to a neighbors home for the evening and leaving their front door open with just a Screen door, (not locked even). They were not the only ones doing it. It took a rash of Break ins to 'smarten' them up.

[bewareoftogoodtobetrue]

Whatever you do , do not move to Bellasol condo's in Ft. Myers the managment loves to tow your car. They make money on each tow so it is done early in the morning to make sure you are not awake to stop them. They are unreasonable and run the place like it is a dictatorship.

[kroeran]

Originally Posted by bewareoftogoodtobetrue

Whatever you do , do not move to Bellasol condo's in Ft. Myers the managment loves to tow your car. They make money on each tow so it is done early in the morning to make sure you are not awake to stop them. They are unreasonable and run the place like it is a dictatorship.

I read somewhere that some associations get taken over by criminal elements....is this an urban myth?

[ChrisA70]

Lived and worked at a "gated community" in Bonita Springs.... In 2003 when I was there we had 9 cars STOLEN, including a new VIPER, and 14 broken into in ONE NIGHT..... Yes a gang from Imokalee came to our gated, luxury community and made a mess. One idiot smashed through the gate with a guys F250 while running from the police. For a week we found duffle bags full of car stereos, a set of Ping golf clubs, 3 wallets, cell phones, someones subwoofer box, all hidden around the edge of the property. 3 of them were caught but a few more ran off into the woods and got away. Gated communities are a joke... And we had about 5 cops living on site, one was night security, a lot of good she did. A resident saw them and called the police.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by ChrisA70

Lived and worked at a "gated community" in Bonita Springs.... In 2003 when I was there we had 9 cars STOLEN, including a new VIPER, and 14 broken into in ONE NIGHT..... Yes a gang from Imokalee came to our gated, luxury community and made a mess. One idiot smashed through the gate with a guys F250 while running from the police.

Was there a security guard at the gate? The times I've tried to get into Imperial Golf Estates, I thought the guard was going to frisk me and run a DNA test! I do agree that it's a false sense of security, but a manned gate has to be a deterrent for petty crimes.

[SWFL_Native]

Originally Posted by kroeran

Can anyone speak to crime and how important or not a gated community is?

I am at Paseo, in South Fort Myers. It feels very safe, but I wonder if I should be worried about the property when I am not there.

Geez, if I could pick the safest areas in Lee County (besides Sanibel & Captiva) I would put your neighborhood at the top of my list. I have family in Reflection Isles and in Fiddlesticks and have not heard any crimes of significance over the past 15 years they have lived there (they lived in Cypress preserve before Reflection)..