Police investigating Winter Springs garage burglaries

E-bicycle thefts on the rise in Winter Springs

A sneaking thief is on the loose in Winter Springs. Homeowners have reported items taken from their garages. One suspect was seen swiping an e-bike from one home, and the action was recorded on a security camera.

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. - A thief is on the loose in Winter Springs, according to police, sneaking into open garages and stealing belongings. The suspect was caught on camera stealing a man's e-bike.

A homeowner reported that he stepped out for a few minutes, leaving his garage door open to cut the grass. Within minutes, his e-bike was gone, and the entire incident was captured on camera.

Winter Springs Police say the theft occurred Monday morning in the Tuskawilla Crossings neighborhood. The suspect arrived on a scooter, abandoned it, and took the e-bike instead.

"We’ve never had problems before," said Jim Pigman, the victim, in an exclusive interview with FOX 35 News. Pigman’s e-bike, worth hundreds of dollars, was stolen while he was mowing the lawn. "I’m thinking, 9 o’clock in the morning, who is gonna think someone is gonna break into your garage, especially when you’re 50 feet away!" he added.

Pigman is not the only victim. His neighbor also reported a bike being stolen from her garage.

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"It’s sad that someone will decide that they just want to come into your garage and take your belongings," said Amal Hammala.

FOX 35 obtained an email from the homeowner’s association informing residents of the break-ins. The email stated that four bikes were stolen from the community.

"My concern is, what if my wife would’ve walked out here while he was doing it? He literally came around the corner and missed him by 15, maybe 20 seconds. I mean that’s how fast he was, he obviously knew what he was doing," Pigman expressed.

The Winter Springs Police Department is reminding everyone to always close their garage doors when not inside or using them to prevent future thefts.