I-Drive Warning

[Feralpeg]

Hello. I live in the Orlando area. I know that many people from the UK tend to frequent the hotels in Orlando along I-Drive, so I thought I'd post a warning.

Over the post two months, there have been 91 carjackings along the I-Drive corridor between Sea World and Universal. Yesterday, two Orange County deputies were shot trying to stop a car-jacking in that area. The deputies were actually attending a conference on crime prevention at the Convention Center when the incident took place. The men involved were apprehended.

Unfortunately, the I-Drive area has become an area of easy pickings for the thugs in the Orlando area. Tourists walking around in vacation mode carrying cash is just too much for these terrible people to ignore.

It is so sad that this must be said, but please be on guard while on vacation in Orlando. I love living in Orlando and it makes me sick to think that those who come to visit this wonderful city can be treated so poorly.

Have a safe and fun Florida holiday!

 

[SimonV]

Feralpeg, where are you getting your info from? We also live in Orlando and work in and aound the tourist corridor and have seen none of these alarming statistics you mention. Yes, there was an armed incident at the Caribe Royale Resort this week (involving cars in the parking lot) and there was an assult on a couple of people in hotels earlier in the month. But there is certainly nothing we know of to suggest there is a carjacking epidemic in Orlando (or anywhere else). Yes, crime can be a problem in Central Florida (as it is in many places), but it rarely impinges upon the tourist areas. If there really had been 91 carjackings on I-Drive, we would be seeing police absolutely everywhere as the area could simply not survive with high levels of crime. However, I really don't think this is the case and this is more scaremongering than anything else.

 

[cleo]

Is there a possible confusion in terms? Car-jacking means (roughly) someone stops a car, removes the driver by force (usually at gunpoint) and takes off in the car. Do you mean there have been a lot of petty thefts involving possessions inside a locked car?

The officers shot were not stopping a car-jacking, they inturrupted a car burglery in progress.

 

[nbodyhome]

Right - the original post makes it sound much worse than it is (91 car jackings would be a LOT, I've not heard of hardly any - car break-ins and car jackings are two different things).

However, crime is obviously up in an area that I've lived in (the Lake Buena Vista area) - what is more of an upscale hotel corridor.

Yesterday was not a car jacking. I have read that there have been brochures handed out due to car burglaries. Don't leave anything important in your car seats, or anything at all to make it appear that you are tourists. There was a shooting of deputies yesterday, just as there was a shooting (nobody hit) at the Golden Corral in that area the day before - well before guests were there.

The I-Drive area that the OP is talking about is NOT where the last couple of incidents happened. Between Sea World and Universal is down the road. This is closer to Kissimmee/Poinciana, near the Orlando Premium Outlets. Not really a section of road that most guests would think of as I-Drive. The OP doesn't seem so familiar with the area (or what car-jacking means).

There is nothing wrong with wearing a money belt if you are carrying around large sums of cash as well, and leave a tiny bit in your wallet/purse.

 

[Feralpeg]

Feralpeg, where are you getting your info from? We also live in Orlando and work in and aound the tourist corridor and have seen none of these alarming statistics you mention. Yes, there was an armed incident at the Caribe Royale Resort this week (involving cars in the parking lot) and there was an assult on a couple of people in hotels earlier in the month. But there is certainly nothing we know of to suggest there is a carjacking epidemic in Orlando (or anywhere else). Yes, crime can be a problem in Central Florida (as it is in many places), but it rarely impinges upon the tourist areas. If there really had been 91 carjackings on I-Drive, we would be seeing police absolutely everywhere as the area could simply not survive with high levels of crime. However, I really don't think this is the case and this is more scaremongering than anything else.

The information came from a news report this morning on Channel 13 local news. They said there have been 91 car jackings in the past 90 days between Sea World and Universal. I thought it might be prudent to warn folks to be careful. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I would want to know this sort of information if I were going to stay in the area.

 

[AliceGardner]

The information came from a news report this morning on Channel 13 local news. They said there have been 91 car jackings in the past 90 days between Sea World and Universal. I thought it might be prudent to warn folks to be careful. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I would want to know this sort of information if I were going to stay in the area.

Hi

Are you SURE that you don't mean 91 "car burglaries" over the past 90 days on I-Drive???

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/5/30/car_burglaries_plague_idrive.html

Best Wishes,
Alice

 

[Feralpeg]

Hi

Are you SURE that you don't mean 91 "car burglaries" over the past 90 days on I-Drive???

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/5/30/car_burglaries_plague_idrive.html

Best Wishes,
Alice

It is possible that is what they meant. They specifically said car jackings, but even news reporters make mistakes. Sorry if I upset anyone.

 

[SimonV]

Car burglaries, NOT carjackings. There is a big difference. Please use the right terminology as carjacking is a far more serious and scary problem. And the figures on Channel 13 were 91 burglaries in 90 days (not two months).

There has obviously been a spate of car burglaries (and some car thefts) from a gang working in this area, which is why the two officers approached the three men in the Caribe Royale Resort parking lot (and were fired on).

It is also significant that the Sheriff's Dept has been pleading for more money for the I-Drive corridor for the last 6 months, so now they are releasing figures designed to make it seem like crime is out of control. Do you see a connection?

But please don't use emotive language when it isn't really necessary; people may be inclined to take reports like this at face value, and the reality is still that if you take proper, commonsense precautions, you are extremely unlikely to run into any problems with crime in Orlando.

 

[UKDEB]

Car break-ins easily number one a day in the small City in which I live. Such crime is a sad fact of life wherever you live. The violent crime of carjacking is a totally different ball game. Feralpeg, I'm sure your intentions were good, but this type of post really isn't helpful.

 

[Claire L]

But even a 'straight' forward theft from vehicle can turn nasty if someone gets in the way of the offenders as we saw from the two officers who tried to apprehend the group in the past couple of days. I know gun crime is getting bigger here but in the US it is bigger. Lets hope the high profile of such incidents does help the local law enforcement with extra patrols and catch these criminals so they can no longer prey on tourists or locals for that matter.

Claire

 

[nbodyhome]

I agree, Claire. If you ever see anyone in your vehicle, don't confront them - just call the police. That is their job and they are the ones who are equipped for dealing with it.

 

[daffy dill]

It is possible that is what they meant. They specifically said car jackings, but even news reporters make mistakes. Sorry if I upset anyone.

Hi Ferelpeg, well i for one dont see why anyone should get upset as you passed on info with the very best of intentions.So from me a BIG thankyou

 

[Feralpeg]

Hi Ferelpeg, well i for one dont see why anyone should get upset as you passed on info with the very best of intentions.So from me a BIG thankyou

Thank you. I apologize to those of you that I somehow offended. I reported what they said on the news broadcast. It sounded bad to me and I wanted people to be aware just in case.

 

[AliceGardner]

Thank you. I apologize to those of you that I somehow offended. I reported what they said on the news broadcast. It sounded bad to me and I wanted people to be aware just in case.

No, I think it is very good/helpful that you posted this topic (despite the confusion between carjacking and car burglary... ).

I think that a lot of British tourists go abroad and sometimes leave their common sense at home: they often don't take the sensible precautions on holiday that they would do at home. You posting this topic is a good reminder for people reading this forum to be very careful what they have on display and/or leave unattended in their vehicles. In particular those who hire SUVs/Minivans that often don't have a "boot" that hides things from prying eyes. Also people who have a lot of luggage in their car (esp SUVs/Minivans) on the way from/to the airport and stop off to shop at the supermarket or for a meal or something...

Alice

 

[Feralpeg]

No, I think it is very good/helpful that you posted this topic (despite the confusion between carjacking and car burglary... ).

I think that a lot of British tourists go abroad and sometimes leave their common sense at home: they often don't take the sensible precautions on holiday that they would do at home. You posting this topic is a good reminder for people reading this forum to be very careful what they have on display and/or leave unattended in their vehicles. In particular those who hire SUVs/Minivans that often don't have a "boot" that hides things from prying eyes. Also people who have a lot of luggage in their car (esp SUVs/Minivans) on the way from/to the airport and stop off to shop at the supermarket or for a meal or something...

Alice

Thank you, Alice.

 

[Beep]

We've been to Orlando many times and haven't seen any crime at all. We are very careful when abroad, not just in Orlando, and don't leave anything on show in the car or on us. It is a shame that crime is on the increase, but that goes for everywhere.

 

[SimonV]

Hi Feralpeg. I didn't mean to jump down your throat on this, but, as someone who works in the Orlando tourism business, I do get very upset at constant misreporting by the media of events in Orlando. The UK media has been particularly bad for this just recently. The Channel 13 report online definitely says burglaries and not car-jackings, but it is quite possible their reporter on air mistakenly said car-jackings (one of the reasons I rarely watch Channel 13 - not my favourite station, I'm afraid). The incidences of crime are still relatively minor, however, and I don't believe there is any real cause for concern, as long as people are sensible about their general behaviour (I also think the local Sheriff is agitating for a bigger budget, hence he is publicising the figures like this and perhaps making more of them than they actually are). But it certainly doesn't hurt to point things out. Hopefully, there will be a greater police presence along the touirst corridor and we will all feel safer as a result. I do wish the media would get their side of things right first, though, then we would all know where we stand! Apologies once again if I seemed a touch hostile.

 

[Feralpeg]

Hi Feralpeg. I didn't mean to jump down your throat on this, but, as someone who works in the Orlando tourism business, I do get very upset at constant misreporting by the media of events in Orlando. The UK media has been particularly bad for this just recently. The Channel 13 report online definitely says burglaries and not car-jackings, but it is quite possible their reporter on air mistakenly said car-jackings (one of the reasons I rarely watch Channel 13 - not my favourite station, I'm afraid). The incidences of crime are still relatively minor, however, and I don't believe there is any real cause for concern, as long as people are sensible about their general behaviour (I also think the local Sheriff is agitating for a bigger budget, hence he is publicising the figures like this and perhaps making more of them than they actually are). But it certainly doesn't hurt to point things out. Hopefully, there will be a greater police presence along the touirst corridor and we will all feel safer as a result. I do wish the media would get their side of things right first, though, then we would all know where we stand! Apologies once again if I seemed a touch hostile.

No problem. I should have done further investigation before posting. Not everything reported is true. I love living Orlando. I used to vacation here several times a year before I moved to the area. It is a great city. Like all big cities, it has its problems. That certainly doesn't mean that people shouldn't visit. But, it never hurts to be cautious.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

No problem. I should have done further investigation before posting. Not everything reported is true. I love living Orlando. I used to vacation here several times a year before I moved to the area. It is a great city. Like all big cities, it has its problems. That certainly doesn't mean that people shouldn't visit. But, it never hurts to be cautious.

I was taught to be cautious......

 

[cleo]

Just adding that your comments didn't 'offend', Feralpeg. It did sound like there was some confusion of terms, hence the question.

I know you from TPA&S and was quite sure your intentions were good. You have always been a good source of local knowledge, so please don't feel you have offended anyone. It's just the term that was worriesome, not the fact you posted about the importance of being cautious (always a good idea!)