In what appears to be a trend, two more Ford “F” series vehicles were vandalized at Lee County hotels.
Deputies were called to the Holiday Inn on Crown Lake Boulevard in Bonita Springs early Friday morning. The victim told deputies someone damaged the ignition while trying to break into his Ford F-350.
Around the same time at the Hilton Garden Inn on Alico Road, where a man says someone stole thousands of dollars worth of tools out of his Ford F-250.
"The Ford F-150 to F-350 is the vehicle that is most often stolen, they are the number three most stolen vehicle in the country,” retired police chief Walter Zalisko told Fox 4 back in May.
On May 5ththieves targeted F-150s at the Embassy Suites on Corkscrew Road and on May 12 they went after F-150s at the Hampton Inn in Estero.
Last Thursday there was almost a 2nd theft at the Hilton Garden Inn, when crooks tried to steal a trailer belonging to the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
"It was reported to me by our sales manager, who had gotten word from a guest of ours,” said Hilton General Manager Daryl Meisner.
Miesner says both Hilton Garden Inn and it's sister hotel Homewood Suites have overnight security guards on patrol.
"We put out a flyer and we have information that we put in our room that says the parking lot is a park-at-risk area,” said Meisner
He also says the hotel has a safe and would be happy to store guests' valuables.
Even though the vehicles were damaged, the owners may be lucky they weren't stolen.
"A lot of times these thieves are gonna drive around, look for the right vehicle and it will only take them 30 seconds to get in the car and drive away,” said Zalisko.
