VaHi Safety Team Report October 2017

News and Notes

Attempted Sexual Assault on Greenwood

On October 28^th a woman was walking home from Atkins Park along Greenwood. When she reached her front porch a stranger in a spider man mask cornered her and exposed himself. Fortunately, the woman called for help and neighbors responded scaring this man off before he could do even more harm. The resident believes the man followed her all the way from the restaurant/bar, but because the street was dark and trees and shrubbery provide good hiding spots, she did not see him until he confronted her.

Please take this opportunity to look around your residence. Is there enough light around your entry to deter someone from approaching you or prevent someone from taking you by surprise? Do you have shrubbery or trees that need to be trimmed so that street lights can be effective? If you have good lighting, do you leave it on at night for the benefit of others passing by on the sidewalk. We encourage everyone to turn on outside lights every night and leave them on all night. City street lights are intended to light the street making the road safe for vehicles. While these lights cast some illumination on sidewalks, good lighting on the fronts of buildings and residential porches can greatly improve visibility on sidewalks.

6^th Annual Toy Drive and Giveaway for APD Zone 6

Our own Officer F. Dodson is once again reaching out to our community with a request for help with the Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway. Several members of the VHCA safety committee helped with the party last year and we just can’t tell you how trilled the children were to meet and receive gifts from Santa. There was also a wonderful turkey dinner with all the fixings, music and games, and a chance to meet the APD horses and explore a firetruck and police car.

As in past years, John Wolfinger will be collecting new unwrapped toys on his front porch at 1054 Vance Avenue. No need to knock, just leave your contribution on the screened porch. John will deliver gifts to the precinct whenever he has a full car load. Toys are already piling up.

If anyone would like to donate a check, make it payable to: “Atlanta Police Foundation, C/O Zone Six Toy Drive”. Mail your check to 2025 Hosea L. Williams Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30317.

Please be generous. Our gifts can really make the holidays for a family that is struggling, and the event helps to break down barriers between the community and police department.

Pedestrian Robbery in Morningside

On Monday evening (October 30, 2017) at 8:00 pm, a Morningside resident was robbed at gunpoint near the Wells Fargo ATM next to Alon's.  The victim’s statement follows with the description of the suspects removed. The description is insufficient to identify these individuals as it only includes race, gender and that the suspects wore dark clothing.

On Monday night 10/30 at 8:00 pm at the Wells Fargo ATM adjacent to Alon's, I was robbed at gunpoint.  Two [suspects] approached me as I was walking back to my car, that was parked next to the ATM.  They told me to give them wallet, keys, phone, etc.  I dropped everything and slowly walked away from the vehicle.  When I saw them fumbling inside my car to get it started, I dashed away and flagged down a car on N Highland.  A good Samaritan and I called 911 and the police responded in about 10 minutes.  Somehow, thieves couldn't start my car and abandoned the scene with only my wallet and phone that haven't been recovered.  I am working with the Coldwell Banker landlord to recover video footage from the parking lot.

Please be very careful when out and about after dark – even in the early evening. Always be aware of your surroundings and if you see anything that makes you uncomfortable do not exit your vehicle, or if on foot head toward lights and activity. You are less likely to become a victim where there are others around to witness an incident. Also, if you are approached by someone who is armed give them your valuables and get away safely. There is no property you have that is worth your life.  

Crime Statistics

These statistics are pulled from the APD Open Data Portal http://opendata.atlantapd.org/Default.aspx. It includes reports from Beat 601 and Zone 6 as a whole. Because this data was pulled from an online data file and not from a prepared report with narrative which has been provided by APD in the past, I have no additional information or context that I can provide for any of these incidents.

Homicide None reported in Beat 601, and one in Zone 6.

Rape None reported in Beat 601, and four in Zone 6.

Pedestrian/Carjacking Robbery None reported in Beat 601, and seventeen in Zone 6.

Residential Robbery None reported in Beat 601, and two in Zone 6.

Commercial Robbery One reported in Beat 601, and four in Zone 6.

Aggravated Assault None reported for Beat 601, and thirteen for Zone 6.

Residential Burglary One reported for Beat 60, and forty-four for Zone 6.

Commercial Burglary None reported for Beat 601, and five reported for Zone 6.

Larceny From Vehicle Thirteen reported for Beat 601, and one hundred and sixty two for Zone 6.

Vehicles were entered on Drewry Street (2), Frederica Street, Greenwood Avenue, Los Angeles Ave, Maryland Avenue, Park Drive, Ponce De Leon Avenue, Rosewood Drive, St. Charles Avenue, and Virginia Avenue (3).

Other Larcenies Two reported for Beat 601, and eighty-eight for Zone 6.

Auto Theft One reported for Beat 601, and twenty-eight reported for Zone 6.

If you are a resident and not connected with your street captain, please send a message to safety@vahi.org to be introduced.

If you are not a resident but would like to be added to the distribution for these reports, please send a message to me at VaHiSafety@gmail.com with your name, email address, and affiliation. Thanks.

Stay Safe!