Start with the right reporting option
Emergency or immediate danger
Call 911. Examples include a crime in progress, violence or a credible immediate threat, a break-in happening now, or a serious injury.
Give the dispatcher your subdivision, building, unit number, and exact location. Follow instructions and move to safety when possible.
Non-emergency police assistance
Call PBSO at 561-688-3400 for an incident without immediate danger or to ask how to report it.
Do not delay an emergency call while trying to reach a board member, property manager, or gate staff.
| Situation | Useful next step |
|---|---|
| Completed theft, vandalism, or suspected fraud | Contact PBSO. Ask whether the incident is eligible for online reporting. |
| Information about a crime; anonymous tip preferred | Use Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers. A tip is not a substitute for emergency dispatch or a victim’s police report. |
| Broken lighting, unsecured common-area door, or damaged lock | Notify the responsible association, manager, or facility operator; also report related criminal activity to PBSO. |
| Rule violation or routine neighbor disagreement | Use the association’s complaint process. Threats, violence, and suspected criminal acts deserve police attention. |
Follow the reporting portal’s current eligibility questions. Online submissions are not monitored as an emergency service. Sources: PBSO contacts and Alternate Response Unit.
What can we responsibly say about crime here?
Century Village is a gated community, but gates do not guarantee that crime cannot occur. Residents, guests, workers, and service providers still enter the community. Prevention inside buildings and around individual homes matters too.
This page does not label Century Village as a high-crime or low-crime community. A reliable comparison needs a defined boundary, time period, offense categories, and a suitable population measure. Anecdotes and isolated headlines cannot establish a crime trend.
- Start with official incident information. PBSO links to crime mapping through its website. Search the correct area and record the date range and filters you used.
- Separate incidents from outcomes. A reported incident is not a proven offense, and an arrest is not a conviction. Booking records are not a complete measure of neighborhood crime.
- Check geography and timing. A nearby event may be outside Century Village. A report date may differ from the date the event occurred.
- Ask about limitations. Mapping may have reporting delays, generalized locations, or omitted categories. Ask PBSO about concerning patterns rather than guessing from dots on a map.
Facts build confidence. Rumors build fear.
Practical habits for residents
Homes, vehicles & deliveries
- Lock doors and windows, including when leaving briefly.
- Lock vehicles and avoid leaving valuables, keys, or access credentials inside.
- Arrange prompt collection of deliveries and mail, especially during travel.
- Verify unexpected workers through a known association or company contact before letting them in.
- Use access credentials according to community procedures; do not lend them casually.
Look out for neighbors safely
- Report specific behavior, such as someone testing car doors, rather than assumptions based on appearance or unfamiliarity.
- Observe from a safe location. Do not pursue, detain, or confront a suspected offender.
- Tell a trusted contact about concerning incidents and ask for help making a report if needed.
- Report broken lights, obstructed sightlines, and access-control problems.
- Respect neighbors’ privacy when sharing safety information.
What an association board can do
Boards can organize prevention and maintain association-controlled property. Police investigate crimes. Confirm which organization controls a particular road, gate, building, or facility before assigning responsibility.
- Review the physical environment. Check lighting, locks, doors, visibility, and common-area access. Ask PBSO’s crime-prevention staff about available guidance.
- Set a clear reporting procedure. Give residents emergency and non-emergency contacts, explain who receives maintenance concerns, and identify who handles police requests involving association property.
- Preserve useful evidence. Secure relevant original camera footage promptly before it is overwritten. Keep a record of when and how it was exported and provide it through an authorized contact to police.
- Evaluate cameras thoughtfully. Define the purpose, location, access permissions, retention, costs, and privacy safeguards. Review governing documents and obtain advice on necessary approvals and any audio recording before installation.
- Communicate verified facts. State what is known, the affected area, and practical precautions. Avoid publishing accusations, unnecessary personal details, or unverified suspect lists.
- Coordinate on recurring problems. Keep an incident log and report numbers. Ask PBSO about appropriate prevention, trespass, or traffic-enforcement arrangements rather than promising enforcement the board cannot provide.
Safer communities depend on clear roles and consistent follow-through.
Crime can also arrive by phone, email, or text
Residents should be alert to impersonation calls, fake account alerts, unexpected payment demands, investment offers, and requests to install remote-access software. These are risks to watch for, not claims about how often they occur in Century Village.
- Pause before sending money or sharing passwords, security codes, or financial information.
- Verify a request using a phone number you already trust, not a link or number in the unexpected message.
- Treat demands for gift cards, cryptocurrency, secrecy, or urgent transfers as warning signs.
- If money was sent, contact the bank or payment provider promptly to ask whether the payment can be stopped or recovered.
- Save messages and transaction details. Report suspected crime to PBSO; report internet-enabled crime to FBI IC3 and fraud to the FTC as appropriate.
After an incident: document, preserve, follow up
- Write down the date, time, location, and what you personally observed.
- Preserve relevant photos, messages, receipts, and original video without putting yourself at risk.
- Ask for a report or reference number and how to provide additional information.
- Notify the association or manager when common property, access systems, or association evidence is involved.
- Review prevention measures and support affected residents without spreading speculation.
Do not clean up or disturb a possible crime scene until police advise it is appropriate. Avoid posting evidence publicly if it could expose victims or interfere with an investigation.
Official reporting & prevention resources
PBSO contact directory · Emergency, communications, crime prevention, and records contacts.
PBSO online reporting · Follow current eligibility instructions.
PBSO contacts for crime-prevention assistance · Ask about prevention assistance.
Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers · Information and anonymous tips.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center · Internet-enabled crime complaints.
FTC ReportFraud · Fraud and scam reports.
Back to Property & SafetyPrepared October 17, 2026. Reporting resources checked against official agency pages. Prevention suggestions are educational guidance; this page provides no local crime-rate estimate.
Give board follow-up a responsible person and next step
Board Synergy recommended practice
After immediate police and safety needs are addressed, assign an authorized board or management contact for association property and records. This supports the response; it does not make the board an investigator.
- Record the handoff: retain the incident time and location, report number if available, police contact or instructions, affected association property, assigned person, and next review date.
- Preserve relevant evidence: identify camera footage and retention limits promptly. Keep original exports and a record of authorized access and disclosure. Refer sensitive footage or contested records requests for legal guidance.
- Address property hazards: coordinate authorized repairs to lighting, doors, locks, or access systems. Confirm the responsible owner or operator before making commitments.
- Check reporting duties: notify counsel and the insurance agent or carrier as appropriate and follow policy reporting requirements. A police report does not replace an insurance notice.
- Communicate carefully: share verified operational information and practical precautions. Avoid victim details, accusations, public suspect lists, or claims that an improvement guarantees safety.
Keep police reporting, insurance reporting, property repairs, and any separate association enforcement matter under their appropriate procedures. Do not use a gate credential change or an informal trespass declaration as a shortcut for an occupancy dispute.
Connected Board Synergy guides
- Internet crime and scam reporting
- Association cameras: purpose, access, and records
- Gate access and guest arrangements
- PBSO business partnership and trespass procedures
- Contractor threats and resident safety
- Association financial controls
- Who manages what?
- Important phone numbers
Safety checklists are recommended practices. Florida law, governing documents, service contracts, and UCO or WPRF procedures provide different kinds of authority. Confirm the applicable requirement before acting.