VaHi Safety Team Report: July 29, 2013
By: John Wolfinger
BeltLine Safety News
Thanks to VaHi’s own John Becker we have a great article covering last Friday’s APD press conference at the 4th Ward Skatepark introducing the new BeltLine APD path force. https://vahi.org/mayor-introduces-new-beltline-path-force-unit/. This article has a link to the AJC article which, in turn, has a link to a WSB-TV story also.
APD “Major” Changes
We welcome Major Timothy Peek as commander of our APD Zone 6, and wish Major Keith Meadows the best of luck as he leaves Zone 6 to assume command of the new APS school security force. https://www.facebook.com/AtlantaPolice/posts/626956123981920
Here in Beat 601 we also welcome Officer K. F. Romer and Sergeant N. Mitchell to the evening watch patrols. They were both at the July VaHi civic association meeting to introduce themselves to our community. Welcome aboard!
Run With The Cops
The annual Atlanta’s Finest 5K is August 3rd this year. Details at http://www.atlantapolicefoundation.org/Atlanta’sFinest5K-25 While you are on this page, note the APF and APD 2012 annual reports linked on the right hand side.
National Night Out on 8/6
As in the past few years, since we suffered a complete rainout about 4 years ago – there is not a community-wide event scheduled for this date. But, if you want to set up a block party this evening for your watch area, let me know and I’ll advise Zone 6 of your plans – so you can get APD visitors. Interesting article about National Night Out and neighborhood watches in general at http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/07/new-way-understanding-eyes-street/6276/. As this article points out, I hate how the term “neighborhood watch” has been bandied about in the media following the Trayvon Martin case, where the group that George Zimmerman was a part of is completely different from our naturally-occurring neighborhood system dedicated to neighborliness and watching out for each other, assisted by our network of dedicated Street Captains.
Zone 6 Back To School Event
This event will be held in the parking lot of Israel Baptist Church – just east of Zone 6 headquarters – on Hosea Williams Drive, SE in the heart of Kirkwood on 7/31 from 8 am until noon. This event is where the school supplies that many of you generously left on my front porch will be given out to needy Zone 6 school kids. Many APD units will be represented here – including the helicopter unit, the mounted unit, COPS, PAL, motorcycle unit, gang unit, and the K-9 unit among others. This might make an interesting field trip to see so many different aspects of APD all on display in one place.
The following reports are taken from our APD Zone 6 (http://atlantapd.org/Zone6.aspx) crime stats for the 2012 weeks of 27 and 28 (6/30 to 7/13) for our VaHi Beat 601. These reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you aware of what happens around us everyday and to raise your level of alertness.
Aggravated Assault – No reported incidents from Beat 601.
Auto Theft – Vehicles were stolen from Drewry Street and Barnett Street.
Commercial Burglary – No reported incidents from Beat 601.
Residential Burglary – A home was entered on PDL Place via a possible unlocked door.
Commercial Robbery – No reported incidents from Beat 601.
Residential Robbery – No reported incidents from Beat 601.
Pedestrian Robbery – Such a robbery was reported on 7/13 on Park Drive (west of Monroe Drive). The victims (not listed as to how many) were robbed at gunpoint by 4 males on the morning watch time period (10 pm – 7 am). No other details available from the report.
Around the Zone – These robberies continue with many of them aimed at taking cell phones from unaware victims. Do NOT walk and talk or text on our sidewalks, the BeltLine path, parks or other public areas. That call is not that important that you have to risk losing a cell phone. Yes a good idea to have your phone along – but keep it hidden in your clothing.
Larceny From Vehicle – Vehicles were entered on North Highland Avenue (3), PDL Avenue (3), Virginia Avenue (2), Barnett Street, Drewry Street, Highland View, Maiden Lane and St. Charles Avenue. One of the Virginia Avenue incidents involved yard care equipment being taken from the back of a contractor’s pickup truck. Have you warned your yard care guys of the danger of leaving unwatched and unlocked equipment on the street while they are working??? Somebody in the 1100 block of Virginia Avenue did not, or at least the lawn guys did not, pay attention to a warning.
Among all of the items taken from vehicles during this time period all around the Zone – the most alarming incidents involved the theft of handguns SIX times!!!! These are all weapons that can now be used for armed robberies!!
Larceny Other – A wallet and its contents was taken from an unwatched purse at a North Highland Avenue bar. Yet another chained bike was taken from a balcony of an apartment at the Virginia Highland apartments on Virginia Avenue – this is one of a continuing sequence of such thefts at this apartment community – are we getting the word out to these residents that the porches/balconies are not safe places to store bikes????
Nearby at the Edgewood Target store – there were 6 shoplifters caught. The Publix at Piedmont @ North Avenues caught 3 shoplifters while our PDL Avenue Kroger and Publix stores only reported one such incident. At the Edgewood Kroger store an unwatched cell phone was taken from a shopping cart – keep those phones in your pocket while not in use!!! They are NOT a status symbol to be shown off to the world.
Stay alert, keep ALL parked cars cleaned out at ALL times, and enjoy a few days outside without any rain!!