Open garages in North Central Florida are still being burglarized.

After Norbert Thompson's Three to four hundred dollar power washer was stolen ... he's one of at least 16 Gainesville residents who have left their garage doors open in the past month ... and been burglarized as a result.

When Carl Sproles of Melrose was arrested earlier this week for burglarizing an open garage ... Deputies thought the crime spree might be over.

Sproles is still in jail ... but the burglaries continue.

"We always leave our garage door open this neighborhood cause it's a pretty quiet neighborhood. And then, come to find out somebody just come walks right up here and take my pressure washer."

Now he's like many other Gainesville residents - mostly in the southwest part of town - talking to deputies because he's a burglary victim.

"Lot of criminals are - they see the opportunity to take what they can take and they're going to jump on it, and for an open garage door if nobody's in the area, they do a quick drive through they're probably in and out in less than 30 seconds and they move on their way."

Thompson ... lived in Miami for 18 years ... he says he might go back - because he was never burglarized when he lived there.