Just found this on another site and thought it might be of interest to some that are about to travel....
Thieves early Sunday broke into at least 32 cars parked at eight Universal Studios-area hotels and one nightclub, stealing any valuable items the owners had left behind.
Almost half of the vehicles were burglarized at the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites at 5905 Kirkman Road, where the thieves broke into 15 cars by smashing windows but were undetected by hotel security.
Calls for comment to the eight hotels were not returned Sunday.
The amassed booty includes electronic equipment, cell phones and compact discs, police said.
"They reached in and grabbed anything they could," said Orlando police Sgt. Patrick Guckian.
The other hotels hit were a second Holiday Inn at 6515 International Drive, Hampton Inns at 7110 S. Kirkman Road and 5621 Windhover Drive, a Howard Johnson at 6603 International Drive, the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel at 5800 Universal Blvd., the I-Drive Inn at 6323 International Drive and the Imperial Swan Hotel at 7050 S. Kirkman Road.
An area nightclub, J.J. Whispers, 4732 S. Kirkman Road, was also hit.
Police estimated the break-ins happened between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Because of the large number of cars burglarized, a group likely committed the crimes, Guckian said.
The tactic employed was the same in all cases, he added.
"They used the same method: broken passenger window," Guckian said. "It was obviously done by the same people."
There are no known witnesses to any of the incidents.
Investigators were retrieving the security video Sunday from a camera at one of the hotels, hoping that it might contain clues. They also lifted prints at the crime scenes.
Area hotels are full because of the July Fourth weekend, theme parks' festivities and the scheduled shuttle launch. The crowds provide criminals more people and cars from which to steal, Guckian said.
Thieves early Sunday broke into at least 32 cars parked at eight Universal Studios-area hotels and one nightclub, stealing any valuable items the owners had left behind.
Almost half of the vehicles were burglarized at the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites at 5905 Kirkman Road, where the thieves broke into 15 cars by smashing windows but were undetected by hotel security.
Calls for comment to the eight hotels were not returned Sunday.
The amassed booty includes electronic equipment, cell phones and compact discs, police said.
"They reached in and grabbed anything they could," said Orlando police Sgt. Patrick Guckian.
The other hotels hit were a second Holiday Inn at 6515 International Drive, Hampton Inns at 7110 S. Kirkman Road and 5621 Windhover Drive, a Howard Johnson at 6603 International Drive, the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel at 5800 Universal Blvd., the I-Drive Inn at 6323 International Drive and the Imperial Swan Hotel at 7050 S. Kirkman Road.
An area nightclub, J.J. Whispers, 4732 S. Kirkman Road, was also hit.
Police estimated the break-ins happened between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Because of the large number of cars burglarized, a group likely committed the crimes, Guckian said.
The tactic employed was the same in all cases, he added.
"They used the same method: broken passenger window," Guckian said. "It was obviously done by the same people."
There are no known witnesses to any of the incidents.
Investigators were retrieving the security video Sunday from a camera at one of the hotels, hoping that it might contain clues. They also lifted prints at the crime scenes.
Area hotels are full because of the July Fourth weekend, theme parks' festivities and the scheduled shuttle launch. The crowds provide criminals more people and cars from which to steal, Guckian said.
