The crime reports for East Atlanta have been posted through February 21st at 9:00 a.m.
It's time for our annual crime review for East Atlanta for 2019, and what we can expect in 2020. The EASP focuses on three categories when we evaluate crime each year. In order, we consider residential burglaries, pedestrian robberies and auto theft when we perform our annual review. Some crime categories don't occur frequently enough to provide a valid comparison, such as homicides, while other categories such as vehicle break-ins are not reported or tracked well enough to provide a good comparison.
In 2019, the number of vehicle thefts rose from twenty-seven to thirty-four. This is the largest public safety blemish that the East Atlanta community experienced this past year. It’s a little disappointing since vehicle theft declined over 25% in 2018. Some crimes do fluctuate from year to year, so while this wasn't an overwhelming increase, it will be watched closely in 2020. If the trend doesn't reverse, the EASP will work with APD to identify any patterns. A traditional pattern is that a number of vehicles are stolen when the driver runs inside a school, house or business and leaves the car running. Take the time to lock your car and take your keys with you each time you will be leaving the vehicle, including at the gas pump or when you run inside your home to grab something you forgot.
Burglaries continued their downward trend in 2019. East Atlanta residents reported twenty-four residential burglaries this past year compared to forty-three in 2018. This is the second year in a row residential burglaries have declined over 40%.
Pedestrian robberies also declined in 2019 from sixteen to eight. This decline was over 30% for the second year in a row.
Where do we stand as we head into 2020? Car related crime continues to be the number one problem we face in East Atlanta. To reduce these crimes, empty your vehicle of all items, particularly at night. Lock your car doors, and park off the street when possible. Activate your car alarm if you have one. If not, a club or similar device should be used to protect against theft.
Mail theft is also a problem in our neighborhood. Have all bills delivered electronically, and never leave outgoing mail for the mail carrier. A locking mailbox is also a good investment. Package theft is another problem that continues to grow with the trend toward online shopping. If possible, have packages delivered to stores that will hold packages for you, or even to the office of a family member. If those aren't viable options, you might want to see if a neighbor who is home or regularly walks their dog during the day can alert neighbors to packages that have been delivered or even be responsible for holding your package at their house. If you are traveling, make sure that a neighbor is checking your home for mail, packages or any other items that are left on your mailbox or property. In addition to theft, items sitting on your property could give someone the impression that you are out of town.
Please remember that anyone can call the EASP at 404-954-1568 to report suspicious activity or a crime. You are not required to be a member to call! Since we don't always have an officer on duty, we recommend that you call 911 first, then give the EASP a call. Even though our officers monitor calls dispatched via 911, not all calls are dispatched in a timely manner, so making the second call to the EASP after calling 911 often leads to a quicker police response time.
If you would like a free estimate of options to upgrade security at your home, we recommend the Entry Enforcer, 404-289-6960. They'll come out for about an hour to discuss different options for making your home more difficult to enter. They have solutions for often overlooked entry points like windows and french doors, not just the main entry doors to your home. There is no financial arrangement between the Entry Enforcer and the EASP.
It's time for our annual crime review for East Atlanta for 2019, and what we can expect in 2020. The EASP focuses on three categories when we evaluate crime each year. In order, we consider residential burglaries, pedestrian robberies and auto theft when we perform our annual review. Some crime categories don't occur frequently enough to provide a valid comparison, such as homicides, while other categories such as vehicle break-ins are not reported or tracked well enough to provide a good comparison.
In 2019, the number of vehicle thefts rose from twenty-seven to thirty-four. This is the largest public safety blemish that the East Atlanta community experienced this past year. It’s a little disappointing since vehicle theft declined over 25% in 2018. Some crimes do fluctuate from year to year, so while this wasn't an overwhelming increase, it will be watched closely in 2020. If the trend doesn't reverse, the EASP will work with APD to identify any patterns. A traditional pattern is that a number of vehicles are stolen when the driver runs inside a school, house or business and leaves the car running. Take the time to lock your car and take your keys with you each time you will be leaving the vehicle, including at the gas pump or when you run inside your home to grab something you forgot.
Burglaries continued their downward trend in 2019. East Atlanta residents reported twenty-four residential burglaries this past year compared to forty-three in 2018. This is the second year in a row residential burglaries have declined over 40%.
Pedestrian robberies also declined in 2019 from sixteen to eight. This decline was over 30% for the second year in a row.
Where do we stand as we head into 2020? Car related crime continues to be the number one problem we face in East Atlanta. To reduce these crimes, empty your vehicle of all items, particularly at night. Lock your car doors, and park off the street when possible. Activate your car alarm if you have one. If not, a club or similar device should be used to protect against theft.
Mail theft is also a problem in our neighborhood. Have all bills delivered electronically, and never leave outgoing mail for the mail carrier. A locking mailbox is also a good investment. Package theft is another problem that continues to grow with the trend toward online shopping. If possible, have packages delivered to stores that will hold packages for you, or even to the office of a family member. If those aren't viable options, you might want to see if a neighbor who is home or regularly walks their dog during the day can alert neighbors to packages that have been delivered or even be responsible for holding your package at their house. If you are traveling, make sure that a neighbor is checking your home for mail, packages or any other items that are left on your mailbox or property. In addition to theft, items sitting on your property could give someone the impression that you are out of town.
Please remember that anyone can call the EASP at 404-954-1568 to report suspicious activity or a crime. You are not required to be a member to call! Since we don't always have an officer on duty, we recommend that you call 911 first, then give the EASP a call. Even though our officers monitor calls dispatched via 911, not all calls are dispatched in a timely manner, so making the second call to the EASP after calling 911 often leads to a quicker police response time.
If you would like a free estimate of options to upgrade security at your home, we recommend the Entry Enforcer, 404-289-6960. They'll come out for about an hour to discuss different options for making your home more difficult to enter. They have solutions for often overlooked entry points like windows and french doors, not just the main entry doors to your home. There is no financial arrangement between the Entry Enforcer and the EASP.