At least two cars stolen over the weekend from Naples

At least two cars were stolen from a Collier County community over the weekend and found on Florida’s east coast.

One neighbor said criminals target their community in the summer because so many people are away.

Two car thefts in one weekend, and in one of Naples’s most exclusive communities. Most people might be surprised to know Royal Harbor is a place where neighbors must lock every door every night.

“I don’t even leave my bicycle outside anymore,” said Dennis Mercer a Royal Harbor resident. Mercer lives close to where the car thefts occurred and said he’s not surprised.

“With the recent break-ins in this time of year when most people are gone, there’s a lot of people who will come through the neighborhood and steal just about anything if it’s not tied down or locked up,” Mercer said.

The owners of one of the stolen cars were on vacation in Hawaii. Their car was found abandoned after the Mercedes dealership was able to track it down.

But, this isn’t the first time neighbors in Royal Harbor have raised concerns about crime. WINK News spoke to neighbors back in November who brought up safety concerns as the Naples Police Department struggled to hire and retain officers.

“My wife works at the hospital and she does a lot of night shifts,” Royal Harbor resident Michael Rinaldi said. “Do I have to wonder if she’s gonna make it home?”

And, that wasn’t even Rinaidis’s only concern either.

“Hardcore crime from the East Coast is just a short drive away,” Rinaldi said. “And we kind of feel like we’re easy pickings so we need to get on top of this issue. I would make safety and security the priority.”

Both stolen cars were later found in Broward County.