VaHi Safety Team Report: April 3, 2013
April 4, 2013·
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Neighborhood Cleanup – Save The Date 4/13/2013
Going along with the “broken windows” theory of crime prevention (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory ) our Keep Virginia Highland Beautiful group, an off-shoot of the Safety Team initiative – will be leading a neighborhood-wide cleanup session Saturday 4/13. Read the details at https://vahi.org/Keep-vahi-beautiful-group-sets-date-for-spring-clean-up-seeks-volunteers. If you would like to join the Team St. Charles group that is tackling the litter on Maiden Lane – just meet us on this street that morning. Thanx to a St. Charles Avenue Street Captain for organizing this group – questions to him at [email protected]. If you are a Street Captain that is organizing a group to clean a specific area – be sure to let Kay Stephenson of your plans at [email protected].
This is going to be a great day in the neighborhood – see you with a trash bag somewhere on our streets, or at Highland Tap at lunchtime.
Laura Voisinet, our graffiti team coordinator, is looking for more helpers this spring as she continues to fight this ugly vandalism. She is at [email protected]. Laura also works with Officer Brad Etterle of the city-wide graffiti task force to help id these vandals with the pix she takes. We are so lucky to have Laura as a neighborhood leader.
Monroe Drive Sidewalk Improvements Coming
Our public works department has announced that sidewalk improvements on Monroe Drive from PDL Avenue north to 10th Street will begin 4/10/2013 to include ADA ramps, spot sidewalk repairs, new curbing and amazingly enough -a real sidewalk in front of Woody’s Restaurant along with two driveway aprons. Thanx to the Midtown folks and PEDS who have advocated for this for years.
Going along with this announcement – read Maria Saporta’s article about pedestrians at http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/03/a-more-walkable-atlanta-equals-a-healthier-and-more-prosperous-city/.
APD’s Latest Achievement Report
Read the March report at http://www.atlantapd.org/files/GreatestHitsMarch.pdf.
The following reports are from our APD Zone 6 (http://atlantapd.org/Zone6.aspx ) crime stats for the 2013 weeks of 10 and 11 (3/3 to 3/17) for our VaHi Beat 601, along with news from around the Zone as it affects us. Again, I state these reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you more aware of what happens around us everyday, and to raise you alertness.
Aggravated Assault – on the early morning of 3/10 a Greenwood Avenue (between PDL Place and the BeltLine) resident was hit by a rock thrown by the suspect, as he was entering the code for his condo garage. As the suspect said “give me your money” – the victim grabbed the suspect’s arm and then he hit the victim on the head, knocking the victim’s glasses off. The victim refused to surrender any money and the suspect fled on foot. PLEASE, PLEASE stay aware of your surroundings at ALL times – even doing something as innocent as returning to your own home that you are so familiar with. If you need better lighting or have some overgrown shrubbery – take care of it NOW.
There was a domestic situation at the Briarcliff Summit building. In the daytime on the PDL Avenue sidewalk near North Highland Avenue a female victim was attacked by another female who showed a gun. The victim evidently knew the suspect as she gave her street name.
Auto Theft – No reported incidents from Beat 601
Commercial Burglary – No reported incidents from Beat 601
Residential Burglary – There was an attempt on Amsterdam Avenue – the garage door was pried open, but the suspect was unsuccessful in trying to kick in the door to the house. A storage shed was entered by damaging the lock on Lanier Boulevard with a bike and a lawnmower taken. A Monroe Drive home was entered via a broken rear window with only food and cleaning supplies taken.
Commercial Robbery – No reported incidents from Beat 601
Residential Robbery – No reported incidents from Beat 601
Larceny From Vehicle – Vehicles were entered on North Highland Avenue (4), Hudson Drive, Lanier Boulevard (2), PDL Place,and Greenwood Avenue
Larceny Other – A bicycle chained to a North Highland Avenue apartment building’s gas meter had the rear wheel and seat taken.
Our PDL Avenue Publix and Kroger stores caught 5 shoplifters (and who knows how many were not caught). The Edgewood Target store caught 10 non-paying visitors.
A gas station on Memorial Drive lost 574 gallons of gas after someone had reprogrammed 2 pumps to keep pumping after the paid for amount had been reached. There were security cameras at this location. There have to be folks who lay awake at nite thinking of ways to steal!
Pedestrian Robbery – No reported incidents from Beat 601
However around the Zone there are still reports of cell phone snatchings. It amazes me that we do not have more such incidents here in VaHi, judging from the number of folks I see walking on our streets, talking on their phones at the same time and having no idea as to what is going on around them.
I drove down to Greenbriar Mall this week to see a machine that will accept and pay cash for “used’ cell phones. You have to place your driver’s license in the machine for ID and the machine says that APD is notified of all transactions. I forgot to look to see if there is a limit on how many transactions can be done with one ID. I have a feeling though, that if you have a lot of “used” cell phones to trade for cash, you could use stolen driver’s licenses. Some clever thief could figure out a way to play this game.
Enjoy springtime and stay alert. Remember the Clean Car Campaign and keep ALL parked cars cleaned out at ALL times. If you do not clean out your car – someone else will.
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