ORLANDO, Fla. — Some renters who live near downtown Orlando said they're scared to sleep because they said strangers have been harassing for the past three weeks at all hours of the night.
"Imagine it is 3 o'clock in the morning. You're totally asleep, until something wakes you up. It's people outside banging on your walls and flashing lights in your windows," said a resident, who did not want to be identified.
A few people living on Harwood Street in the Colonialtown South area said they haven't had rest in weeks because they are being harassed.
"Even on nights when they don't come, you're listening to every noise and it's very unsettling. You really lose your peace of mind," the resident said.
The tenants said they have called police out about five times, but even when an officer searched the area, the culprits came back.
"As soon as he pulled out, we received a text message from an unknown number that said, ‘I'll need your autograph. I'll be watching you,’" the resident said.
The tenants said they were even more concerned because they say police told them there wasn't much they could do about it.
"We have a text message right here saying, ‘I'll be watching you,’ and he (officer) told me that this is not really a threat. Watching someone is not really a threat. So you don't really have options as of right now," the resident said.
Orlando police said the liaison officer for that district has been speaking with the landlord and city councilwoman Patty Sheehan about the problem.
The officer, who lives in the area, said he has been driving by every night, in addition to the times the officers have been out for specific calls.
Police are asking the residents to call it in as a burglary in process so it will be categorized as a priority call.
"It's like, what do we do? Either we stay living in an apartment where people are harassing us and taunting us or we try to break our lease and then owe thousands of dollars," said the tenant.
The tenants and police said they hope other come forward if they are experiencing the same harassment.
One of the tenants said he hopes neighbors can create a watch program.
Cox Media Group
