Valrico Area Safety Report: March 2-7, 2026

Your weekly safety roundup covering the Valrico, Brandon, and Bloomingdale area. Information sourced from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), Hillsborough County government, and local news outlets.

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Notable Incidents

HCSO Teen Arrest in Valrico On February 17, HCSO detectives served a search warrant at a Valrico residence, resulting in a teen arrest. The investigation and details were made public this week. HCSO has maintained increased patrol presence in the area following the incident.

Vehicle Theft Reminder HCSO continues to urge residents to lock vehicles and remove valuables. The Tampa Bay region saw a 5% increase in vehicle theft rates in early 2026 compared to the same period last year. Most vehicle burglaries in Valrico and Bloomingdale involve unlocked cars — the easiest crime to prevent.

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Traffic Updates

SR 60 Repaving — Falkenburg Road Closures

• Falkenburg Road north of SR 60 (Adamo Drive) was temporarily closed overnight Tuesday, March 3 (12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m.) for milling and resurfacing.
• Falkenburg Road south of SR 60 was closed Tuesday evening (8:30 p.m.) through early Wednesday (1 a.m.) for the same project.
• The SR 60 repaving project from Falkenburg Road to Lake Kathy Drive continues with periodic overnight lane closures. Check fdottampabay.com for the latest schedule.

I-275 Ramp Closures The left northbound I-275 Exit 39 ramp to SR 60 West/SR 589 North closed nightly (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) March 2-6 and March 8-13. Follow posted detour signs.

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Public Safety Advisories

Emergency Burn Ban in Effect — Week 8 Hillsborough County's emergency ban on all outdoor open burning continues. Drought conditions remain high to very high across the county. Hillsborough Fire Rescue has responded to 741 brush fires in January and February 2026 — nearly double the 416 from the same period in 2025.

Exceptions to the burn ban:

• Attended barbecue grills
• Certain agricultural operations in eastern/southern Hillsborough County
• Burns specifically authorized by the Florida Forest Service

Stage 3 Water Shortage Tampa Bay Water declared a Stage 3 Extreme Regional Supply Shortage effective March 1. Lawn watering is limited to once per week on your assigned day. Check your watering day at tampabaywater.org.

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Important Numbers

• Emergency: 911
• HCSO Non-Emergency: (813) 247-8200
• HCSO Online Reporting: teamhcso.com (for non-emergency incidents)
• Hillsborough County Fire Rescue: (813) 272-6600
• HCFL Alert (emergency notifications): Sign up at HCFL.gov/HCFLAlert

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See Something, Say Something

If you witness suspicious activity in the Valrico, Bloomingdale, or Brandon area, contact HCSO at (813) 247-8200 for non-emergencies or call 911 for emergencies. You can also submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-8477.