Crime reports
The following report is gleaned from our Zone 6 crime stats for 3 weeks this time – weeks 25, 26 and 27 for 2010 – with emphasis on VaHi beat 603, but with news from around the Zone as it applies to us. As I always state – these reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you aware of what happens around us everyday so you can avoid some situations.
Aggravated Assault – Two females in a fight at a Cheshire Bridge Road club resulted in both of them being arrested.
Auto Theft – A car was stolen from a PDL Avenue parking lot. All around Zone 6 in this 3 week time period there were six scooters stolen, including one from St. Charles Avenue. At a Cheshire Bridge Road club, two males were buying drinks for a female, who ended up waking up at Atlanta Medical Center, and finding out her purse and car were gone.
Residential Burglary – A Virginia Circle apartment was entered via an unlocked back door. Lots of outside a/c units and copper wire and pipe continue to be taken around the Zone. All around Zone 6 in this 3 week time period, entry was made to homes via a kicked-in door 6 times. I just recently had my original 1920’s front door lock replaced with a long dead bolt – I feel much better now. Could your door lock withstand a good hard booted kick?
Commercial Burglary – The Atlanta Boy Choir home was entered with no forced entry – an employee believes he left keys on the counter at the 30306 post office.
Larceny From Auto – Cars were entered on Highland Terrace (nothing taken), Drewry Street, Greenwood Avenue (3), Virginia Circle, Cresthill Avenue, North Highland Avenue (2), PDL Avenue (2), St. Charles Avenue (3), Briarcliff Place, Kanuga Street, Rosedale Drive (decal taken), Clemont Drive, and Virginia Avenue. Of these 19 incidents – only 7 of the owners were from outside VaHi. In addition to warning your visitors of the dangers of leaving items in cars – warn your neighbors. We’re still not getting the idea of a clean car campaign across to our own neighbors. All around Zone 6 in this 3 week time period there were TWENTY GPS systems taken, 3 license plate/decals taken off, 4 catalytic converters sawed off, and three more handguns added to the arsenal already on the streets and once again – one report of nothing taken.
Larceny Other – A purse was taken from a St. Charles Avenue front porch while the owner was inside taking a nap. A PDL Terrace resident lost her purse while shopping at a Buckhead store – the perp bumped up against her and took her wallet out of her purse. The PDL Avenue Blockbuster reported 2 shoplifters who escaped. A locked bicycle was taken from a rack on Virginia Avenue and another bicycle stolen from Greenwood Avenue. A wallet was taken from a locker at an Ansley gym. At the SunTrust in the PDL Avenue Publix – fraudulent checks for $73,848 were deposited into a fraudulent account opened for a fake business. I’m surprised at SunTrust not checking businesses more thoroughly for legitimacy. Somebody must have been a smooth talker. Our PDL Avenue Kroger and Publix stores caught 5 non-payers. An unwatched purse was taken from a shopping cart at an unnamed store at the Edgewood Retail District. Two patrons at Manuels Tavern ran up a bill of $69.85 and could not pay – they were arrested. Another job opening at the Edgewood Target after a cashier was caught un-ringing sales. A Target “customer” filled up a Target bag with goods – then took it to the return counter for a cash refund – when they were refused a refund they tried to leave the store with the bagful and were arrested.
Commercial Robbery – At our beloved and beleaguered Ben & Jerry’s store on North Highland Avenue, a w/m came in at 11:00 p.m. asking for free ice cream. When this request was turned down he asked for free water and while the employee was getting him some water he took the cash from the tip jar. The employee confronted the guy about this and the perp pulled a knife out and fled the store. Glad the employee was not hurt.
Commercial Burglary – A lock was broken off a storage unit for entry at the Public Storage on Kanuga Street.
Pedestrian Robbery – At the Exxon parking lot at Piedmont and Monroe at 11:20 p.m. a wallet was taken from the victim’s pocket after being elbowed in the head – a witness followed the perp and he was caught. The victim had no visible injuries, but was taken to Grady anyway. On Rosedale Drive at 12:30 a.m. a lone male pedestrian had been followed by the perp and in front of the victim’s condo building the perp demanded the contents of his pockets. The victim yelled (naturally!!) and the perp hit him in the head with an unknown object. The victim lost his cell phone and cash. Need I say anything else about walking solo late at night?
Joshua Geller, our Zone 6 Community Prosecutor, reports that the perp from a 5/7 kicked-in door burglary on Reeder Circle in Morningside was sentenced to 5 years in prison with 15 years probation after release. A neighbor witnessed the incident and took down the tag number of the get-away car. Our own Investigator Gurley went to the address belonging to the reported car and waited for the perp to come home – he did and he was arrested.
Don’t forget to let your trusted neighbors know of your vacation plans, stop the mail and the newspaper, and travel safely.
Enjoy your summer and stay alert!
John