As BocaNewsNow.com continues to report, Seven Bridges, and the neighboring Lyons Road communities of Boca Bridges and Lotus, are in the midst of a wave of car thefts despite the communities being gated and employing roving security. Law enforcement tells BocaNewsNow.com that professional thieves easily penetrate the gates of these communities, then look for cars with extended mirrors — a sign that doors are unlocked and key fobs are inside.

Seven Bridges, Boca Bridges, and Lotus all boast million dollars homes, but none have “traffic enforcement agreements” in place with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Traffic Enforcement Agreements, or “TEAs,” are required for police to have the authority to issue tickets in private communities. Police tend to spend time where they can issue citations. Criminals tend to spend time where police are unlikely to be. The lack of TEA often puts law enforcement in the position of responding to crime several minutes after a call is received, instead of potentially being just streets away.

PBSO, so concerned about the lack of TEAs in these communities, placed a digital sign on Lyons Road warning homeowners to lock their cars. The agency is also placing unoccupied police cars in the communities as a crime deterrent. But without actual Deputies in those vehicles, criminals may quickly learn that they are only up against roving security that may be napping.

The Seven Bridges Board of Directors used HOA funds to pay an attorney last month to tell BocaNewsNow.com in a “legal letter” that the community has a “traffic enforcement agreement” in process with Palm Beach County — a claim it’s made for years. The legal letter accused BocaNewsNow.com of creating a “road map” for would-be criminals, but made no mention of its position on security guards who sleep in their patrol cars. A board member did not respond when provided with the sleeping security photo on Sunday.