More than 20 back car windows have been smashed in by a BB gun in the parking lot of an Oldsmar apartment complex, according to the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office.
"Once we feel comfortable, then we will get it fixed, but for now we’re just gonna ride with this in the back of the car,” said Keith Robinson, who just moved into The Aventine at Forest Lakes Apartments. He’s afraid if he buys a new back window, it won’t last long.
"Who would do something like this and [with] this many cars and cause this much damage to people? I just don’t understand it,” said Robinson. "I don’t know what kind of joy you get out of that."
Robinson has seen extra patrol in the parking lot but some people are taking safety a step further by backing their cars into the parking spots. That's because in the state of Florida, if you have comprehensive coverage, you can get your front windshield replaced for free.
Sunday, a 12-year-old girl found a loaded 9MM handgun in a box on the grass near the mailboxes in the same complex. She told her mother she thought it was the BB gun. The gun was handed over to deputies, but the girl's mother told ABC Action News it could have ended badly if another child found it.
And while officers believe the two situations are not related, Robinson says people here are fed up.
"Stop. This is people‘s livelihood, they have to go to work, this costs money and this is expensive,” said Robinson. “This is not fun."
Shortly after we spoke to Robinson, security asked us to leave the property. We asked if we could speak to management, but the security guard said no. When we called the complex over the phone, no one answered and the voicemail box was full.
The Sheriff's office says if you know who's smashing these windows please call their non-emergency line with tips. That number is 727-582-6200.
