Vero Beach houses burglarized, homeowners question how

VERO BEACH, Fla. - Some Indian River County families are left questioning how thieves targeted their houses, after authorities say several homes in a quiet neighborhood were burglarized. 

Andreas Svensson said his house was one of three in his Vero Beach neighborhood that was robbed this week.

"The road is a dead end, so we can be a little suspicious if anyone walks through that we are not used to seeing," said Svensson.

He said his garage is passcode protected, and they had the garage door shut Sunday night. But when he woke up Monday morning, the garage door was open, and thousands of dollars worth of lawn care equipment had been stolen from his wall racks.

"My leaf blower, hedge trimmer, a hammer drill, it's all missing," he said. "If I bought all those items again, it would cost me about $1,600."

Svensson said his children sleep in a room right behind the garage, and the thieves were too close for comfort.

"I have my whole family inside the door, and anybody could have walked in," said Svensson. "I don't know who is walking in my house at night."

He suspects the thieves took items that were lightweight and simple to steal. "Things that were easy to carry," he explained.

If you have any information about the burglaries on 96th Avenue in Vero Beach, you're asked to call the Indian River County Sheriff''s Office, or Treasure Coast CrimeStoppers.