Police warning over distraction thefts in Port St. Lucie

The St.

Lucie County fair kicked off Friday but Port St.

Lucie police say it's also a time of the year when crooks take advantage of homeowners nearby.

TIME OF YEAR WHEN CROOKS TAKEADVANTAGE OF HOMEOWNERSNEARBY.

THEYATTENTION TO DISTRACTED THEFTSIN THE COMMUNITY.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'S LINNIESUPALL IS LIVE IN PORT SAINTLUCIE WITH THIS IMPORTANTWARNING..<< IT HAPPENED THREE YEARS INA ROW EVERY TIME THIS SEASONJANUARY TO MARCH ITCONCERNING TREND MICHAELCADOSALES CONTINUES TO SEE INHIS PORT ST.

LUCIENEIGHBOORHOOD& HE SAYS SEMINORCA AVENUE&.IS FAMILYFRIENDLY&.

BUT THE INVITINGSTREET IS ATTRACTING UNWANTEDCRIMINALS& THEYI USUALLY PICK UP MY DAUGHTER&THE FIRST ONE WAS HERE& THELAST YEAR WAS THE FOURTH ORFIFTH HOUSE HERE POLICE SAYTHERE ARE THREE BURGLARIESFROM LAST SPRING THAT ARESTILL UNSOLVED& WHERE PEOPLEWERE DISTRACTED& BEFOREVALUABLES WERE STOLEN FROMTHEIR HOME.

A GROUP OFTRAVELING GYPSIES AND THEYMOVE ALONG WITH THE FAIR,SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR, MARTINCOUNTY FAIR AND NOW ST.

LUCIECOUNTY FAIR POLICE SAY THETHIEVES ARE NOT ASSOCIATEDWITH THE FAIR..

BUT THERE'SUPTICK DURING’FAIR SEASON.THATKNOWN TO OFFER CONSTRUCTION ORYARD WORK&.

AND TAKE ADVANTAGEOF HOMEOWNERS ONCE THEIRDISTRACTED& ITOLD LADY WAS TRYING TO BENICE, TWO GUYS CAME IN ANDWERE TRYING TO BE A FENCECONSTRUCTION COMPANY& ONE GUYRAN INTO THE BACK OF HER HARD&THE OTHER WENT INTO HER HOUSEAND STOLE EVERYTHINGDETECTIVES SAY CASH ANDJEWELRY ARE THE ITEMS THECROOKS WERE AFTER& MOST OF THEVICTIMS WERE ELDERLY& AND ALSONOTICED THIS&.

THE FAMILIESTHAT ARE DOING THESE THEFTSARE USING THE SAME SIMILAR LASTNAMES ACROSS THE STATE OFFLORIDA WITH THE LAST NAMES OFMITCHEL, PARIS, DEMETRIUS ANDNICHOLAS