ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
WINK News has uncovered a widespread burglary operation targeting rental properties. The masterminds behind this criminal scheme are teenagers. These tech-savvy youths have been stealing valuable appliances from homes for an extended period. The story came to light when WINK News investigative reporter Kellie Miller discovered that one of the teenagers involved is being charged as an adult in Lee County. According to an affidavit filed by the state attorney’s office, 17-year-old Woolf Exulus now faces 42 counts of burglary and grand theft, and he’s currently set to stand trial as an adult. Documents reveal that Woolf had accomplices. He, along with several others, used rently.com to gain access to numerous rental homes, where they scheduled self-guided tours and then made off with valuable appliances. Since the start of 2023, law enforcement agencies across the state have painstakingly worked to unravel this intricate burglary ring devised by a group of kids. “We’re constantly working with other agencies around the state to share information, and I think that’s what criminals forget,” said Josh Taylor, North Port Police Department’s public information officer. The teenage burglars operated across different counties, stealing refrigerators and stoves from rental properties. Their spree ultimately came to an end when they were apprehended in North Port. “It was very much great police work, but also great community involvement,” Taylor said. The foundation of this scheme can be traced back to Lee County, where detectives say these teenagers pulled off at least 20 residential burglaries this year. “You had people that were going online, and basically taking a virtual tour of these different homes and being able to see exactly what type of appliances were in there,” Taylor said. The documents explain the burglars unique approach, targeting properties listed on rently.com. They created accounts, examined photos of homes, identified specific appliances, and scheduled self-guided tours. “It’s definitely a window of opportunity for thieves looking for easy, easy targets,” Taylor said. The thieves got away with their rip offs for months, until their operation unraveled in North Port. “It started with a tip from a resident who saw something that just didn’t seem right, and we were able to quickly look into it,” Taylor said. The investigation led them to a U-Haul filled with stolen appliances. North Port police took three teenagers into custody, including Woolf Exulus, who is now linked to many of the Lee County burglaries. “If you come to North Port and you commit these types of crimes, you can be assured that we’re going to take the time to look into it,” Taylor said. Ultimately, detectives believe these teenagers may have targeted homes not only in Lee County and North Port, but also St. Petersburg, and Orlando. WINK News reached out to rently.com and the property management companies affected, but none have agreed to an interview. Additionally, the fate of the other teenagers involved remains uncertain due to sealed juvenile records.