NOTE: This is an extra big report with five weeks of data. APD provides the data for these reports as timely as possible given other demands on their time. Week 30 was the same week as the protest marches in Atlanta. This is just one way in which the drain on police resources (pulling everyone off supporting jobs and deploying them in the field) ripples through the organization for many weeks.
News and Notes
Virginia-Highland Civic Association Elections
The Virginia-Highland Civic Association will hold their annual meeting and election on Thursday September 22nd. All residents (both renters and property owners) are entitled to vote for the directors who will lead the organization during the coming year. The association can have a big impact on safety initiatives in the neighborhood, so we encourage you to educate yourself about the sixteen candidates who are running for ten positions on the board. David Eckoff has started a thread on Nextdoor for this purpose. Please ask your questions there, talk with friends and neighbors and plan to participate.
The meeting will be held in the Inman Middle School Cafeteria beginning at promptly at 7:00. Those who intend to vote must bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license with current address or a recent (60 days) utility bill with your name on it. Please plan to arrive at 6:30 so that your ID can be checked by volunteers and so you can enjoy musical entertainment by the SPARK elementary school choir.
If you are unable to attend the meeting you can also vote via absentee ballot, and instructions can be found at the link referenced above. Absentee ballots can be delivered by someone else for you, but must either be delivered to Talfin Marketing offices on Virginia Avenue by noon on the 22nd, or at the meeting before 7pm.
Atlanta City Council District Six Newsletter
Alex Wan’s District Six Newsletter can be read online. Topics include:
Monroe Drive/Boulevard Complete Streets Next Steps
Music Midtown
Atlanta Streets Alive September 25th
Safety Tips for Push Button Start Vehicles from Major Peek
Good evening Zone 6 Community!
We (Metropolitan Atlanta Communities) have experienced a trend with vehicles being stolen that are equipped with the "push button start" feature. Push Button Start (PBS) allows you to enter your vehicle, start the vehicle and drive off without you having to insert a key into the ignition. This is a great convenient feature if used in the right manner.
Did you know that if you start your PSB vehicle and exit your vehicle with keys in your possession, your car can still be driven away? Generally, your vehicle is operable until it turned off. The PSB key fob is only needed to start the vehicle. As a result, we have noticed a few cases where criminals are taking advantage of this issue. While we are patrolling areas where similar crimes have taken place, there are things that you can do to keep from being a victim of auto theft.
When pumping gas or putting air in your tires, please turn off your vehicle, remove the PSB key fob from inside your vehicle and lock the doors until you are finished pumping gas or adding air to your tires. Auto theft criminals know which cars are equipped with PBS and they generally watch for easy opportunities to enter and/or steal your vehicles. Ladies can be easy targets since their PSB key fobs are usually inside their purses. As soon as you exit, criminals can quickly determine that your purse is still in the car and as a result, they will jump into the opposite side of the vehicle and drive off while you are servicing your vehicle.
So that you will not become a victim, please keep you PSB key fob in your pocket or somewhere in your physical possession. Since we are practicing the Clean Car Campaign, please do not leave your valuable items in your cars. Purses and other bag can be kept in the trunk and should be placed in a trunk prior to arriving at your destination. If you are going somewhere and you do not intend on taking your purse with you, store it in the trunk prior to leaving home. If criminals see you placing it in the trunk, they will attempt to enter your vehicle and access the trunk from the inside latch of your vehicle.
Again, police officers are patrolling in areas where we notice similar issues taking place but we encourage your support by being vigilant and by changing some of your habits of comfort and convenience. We thank you for being great citizens and for partnering with Atlanta Police Department. We always look forward to working with our business partners and our residents in attempts to provide outstanding customer service and keeping our citizens safe.
Major T. D. Peek
Commander
Zone Six Precinct
Atlanta Police Department
2025 Hosea Williams Drive
Office - 404-371-5002
City Cellular - 404-831-0824
Efax - 404-546-9110
Email - TPeek@AtlantaGa.Gov
The mission of the Atlanta Police Department is to create a safer Atlanta by reducing crime, ensuring the safety of our citizens and building trust in partnership with our communities.
We (Metropolitan Atlanta Communities) have experienced a trend with vehicles being stolen that are equipped with the "push button start" feature. Push Button Start (PBS) allows you to enter your vehicle, start the vehicle and drive off without you having to insert a key into the ignition. This is a great convenient feature if used in the right manner.
Did you know that if you start your PSB vehicle and exit your vehicle with keys in your possession, your car can still be driven away? Generally, your vehicle is operable until it turned off. The PSB key fob is only needed to start the vehicle. As a result, we have noticed a few cases where criminals are taking advantage of this issue. While we are patrolling areas where similar crimes have taken place, there are things that you can do to keep from being a victim of auto theft.
When pumping gas or putting air in your tires, please turn off your vehicle, remove the PSB key fob from inside your vehicle and lock the doors until you are finished pumping gas or adding air to your tires. Auto theft criminals know which cars are equipped with PBS and they generally watch for easy opportunities to enter and/or steal your vehicles. Ladies can be easy targets since their PSB key fobs are usually inside their purses. As soon as you exit, criminals can quickly determine that your purse is still in the car and as a result, they will jump into the opposite side of the vehicle and drive off while you are servicing your vehicle.
So that you will not become a victim, please keep you PSB key fob in your pocket or somewhere in your physical possession. Since we are practicing the Clean Car Campaign, please do not leave your valuable items in your cars. Purses and other bag can be kept in the trunk and should be placed in a trunk prior to arriving at your destination. If you are going somewhere and you do not intend on taking your purse with you, store it in the trunk prior to leaving home. If criminals see you placing it in the trunk, they will attempt to enter your vehicle and access the trunk from the inside latch of your vehicle.
Again, police officers are patrolling in areas where we notice similar issues taking place but we encourage your support by being vigilant and by changing some of your habits of comfort and convenience. We thank you for being great citizens and for partnering with Atlanta Police Department. We always look forward to working with our business partners and our residents in attempts to provide outstanding customer service and keeping our citizens safe.
Major T. D. Peek
Commander
Zone Six Precinct
Atlanta Police Department
2025 Hosea Williams Drive
Office - 404-371-5002
City Cellular - 404-831-0824
Efax - 404-546-9110
Email - TPeek@AtlantaGa.Gov
The mission of the Atlanta Police Department is to create a safer Atlanta by reducing crime, ensuring the safety of our citizens and building trust in partnership with our communities.
Upcoming Meetings
NPU – Monday September 19th at 7:00 pm Hillside
VHCA Annual Meeting & Elections – Thursday September 22nd at 7:00 pm Inman Middle School
Music Midtown – Saturday September 17th and Sunday September 18th
Firefest in the Park to benefit Fire Station #19 – Saturday September 24th 1:00 – 5:00 pm New Highland Park
Atlanta Streets Alive – Sunday September 25th 2:00 – 6:00 pm N. Highland from triangle south.
Atlanta BeltLine Quarterly Briefing – Monday Spetember 26th Park Tavern
Crime Statistics
The following information is taken from our APD Zone 6 report (http://atlantapd.org/Zone6.
It includes information from the Virginia-Highland Beat 601 reported incidents along with relevant reports from other nearby beats. Keep in mind that not all incidents are reported. A map showing the location of beats 601 – 612 within Zone 6 can be found at this link http://boundaries.atlantapd.
Homicide None in Beat 601 and one in Zone 6.
Rape One in Beat 601 and two in Zone 6. No additional information is provided to the community about rapes.
Pedestrian/Carjacking Robbery Two in Beat 601 and twenty in Zone 6
Though not in Beat 601, on July 23rd there was a carjacking on Boulevard which provides a good warning to all of us. The victim was approaching an intersection when her vehicle was bumped from behind. She quickly exited her vehicle to check for damage and was confronted by two armed males from the suspect vehicle. One jumped into her vehicle and drove off while the other suspect escaped in their car. When in a traffic accident, be sure it is safe to exit your vehicle, and when you do, turn off your car and pocket your keys. While this might not have made a difference in this instance, if you feel uncomfortable about exiting your vehicle you can always drive to a safer location to stop.
On July 24th a woman was driving her vehicle with a passenger she had met at MJQ nightclub that evening. He was a friend of her friend’s boyfriend. They pulled over on St. Charles to wait for the boyfriend to join them when they were approached by two suspects. One pointed a gun through the passenger side window and fired. Neither victim was hit. At the direction of the second suspect, the driver exited her vehicle and lay on the ground and let the suspect take her phone and purse. At this point the victim from the passenger seat yelled at her to run and he took off. Both suspects chased him. She wisely stayed on the ground until the suspects left and then drove in her car to Ponce de Leon where she met with police. Fortunately the other victim was not hurt and he met up with her, his friend and the police. Unfortunately, he appeared to be very intoxicated and was belligerent and uncooperative with police.
The take away from this incident is that the female driver acted wisely in obeying the suspect’s commands to get on the ground and give up her property, while her passenger took a very serious risk in challenging armed suspects who had already fired one weapon. We don’t always make the best decisions when we are under the influence, and he is fortunate that he was not injured.
On July 31st on St. Charles a woman pulled up to her residence and noticed a black male stranger leaning against her apartment building. When she exited her vehicle, this man approached her, pulled a gun, and demanded her keys. She gave him the keys and ran into her apartment. This case reminds us all that if we notice something unusual, like a stranger lurking around our residence when we arrive home, it can’t hurt to drive around the block, or to call 911 and ask that an officer investigate before you put yourself at risk. If you are an FBAC member you can always call the FBAC cell during patrol hours and request that they come by and see you safely to your door.
Residential Robbery None in Beat 601 and one in Zone 6.
Commercial Robbery None in Beat 601 and four in Zone 6.
Aggravated Assault One in Beat 601 and twenty-seven in Zone 6.
On August 12th the victim was jogging on Ponce de Leon in the evening when he heard a pop, felt a sting, and then found blood pouring down his right upper arm. X-rays at urgent care revealed a pellet or other object close to the bone that would require surgery to be removed. No other information is available on this case.
Residential Burglary None in Beat 601 and forty-five in Zone 6.
Commercial Burglary Two in Beat 601 and sixteen in Zone 6.
On July 25th at 752 N. Highland Ave someone broke into the business and stole a steel cash box with cash totaling $2,900. The rear door appeared to have been pried open.
On August 1st at the storage facility on Virginia near Kanuga, three storage units were broken into. The customer whose access code was used on the gate believes it may have been used by some individuals who had previously helped him move some of his property.
Larceny From Vehicle Twelve in Beat 601 and one hundred and sixty-six in Zone 6
.
Vehicles were entered on Bonaventure, Maiden Lane, North Highland, Ponce de Leon, St. Charles, and Virginia Ave. Entry was made via broken windows, damaged doors and door locks, and unlocked doors. Victims lost a purse with driver’s license and credit cards, two backpacks with school books and papers, a bowling bag and ball, five laptops, two calculators, two checkbooks, two Apple iPad, a tool bag and tools, game controller, cash, and a Les Paul Guitar and keyboard.
Other Larcenies Two in Beat 601 and one hundred and fifteen in Zone 6.
On August 11th at CVS on N. Highland three black males entered the store and stole product from the medicine isle.
On August 14th at Halfmoon Outfitters a suspect stole a jacket and sleep pad
Auto Theft Four in Beat 601 and fifty-five in Zone 6.
On August 1st a scooter was stolen from Barnett St.
On August 11th a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country was stolen from the street on Frederica St.
On August 16th the suspect was observed pulling on door handles and attempting to open the trunk of a vehicle on N. Highland Ave. The suspect, Jeremy Allen was arrested.
On August 19th a 2016 silver Jeep was stolen from the parking lot at 758 Ponce de Leon Ave.
If this report was forwarded to you and you would like to be added to the distribution, please send a message to me at VaHiSafety@gmail.com with your name, email address, and affiliation. Thanks.
Stay Safe!
Kay Stephenson
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