In the past couple of weeks, there have been a number of burglaries in East Atlanta, although most have been limited to two areas. One is around Gresham and Gracewood, and the other is around Hilburn, Montvallo and Fayetteville.
The second area is our biggest concern and focus, as there appears to be a perpetrator breaking windows in the evening to gain access to homes. To see the latest crimes in our neighborhood, you can go to our crime reports tab. We now update our crime reports daily so you can better assess the situation on your street.
If you live in one of these areas, respond to any suspicious activity quickly by calling 911 followed by the EASP at 404-954-1568. Then make your neighbors aware of what you have seen. Be sure to call both numbers before you start posting to NextDoor, your neighborhood listserv or facebook. You do not need to be a member of the EASP to call us, but always call the police before the EASP. In the event our officers are not on duty, we don't want you to be delayed in getting a police response. However, if an EASP officer is on duty, they'll likely beat the response time of the 911 call even though you're calling after speaking with the 911 operator.
In addition, take the following precautions, which apply to people outside these areas as well.
The second area is our biggest concern and focus, as there appears to be a perpetrator breaking windows in the evening to gain access to homes. To see the latest crimes in our neighborhood, you can go to our crime reports tab. We now update our crime reports daily so you can better assess the situation on your street.
If you live in one of these areas, respond to any suspicious activity quickly by calling 911 followed by the EASP at 404-954-1568. Then make your neighbors aware of what you have seen. Be sure to call both numbers before you start posting to NextDoor, your neighborhood listserv or facebook. You do not need to be a member of the EASP to call us, but always call the police before the EASP. In the event our officers are not on duty, we don't want you to be delayed in getting a police response. However, if an EASP officer is on duty, they'll likely beat the response time of the 911 call even though you're calling after speaking with the 911 operator.
In addition, take the following precautions, which apply to people outside these areas as well.
- Secure all accessible windows. There are many layers of protection you can utilize, but film on your window along with window locks is highly recommended. Further options are sensors on each window tied to your alarm system, and motion sensors in the event the burglar makes it past your initial defenses. Many people have pets in the house, so motion sensors may not be as practical, but preventing someone from entering in the first place is preferred anyway.
- Test your alarm system regularly. In a number of cases, homeowners were paying for an alarm but the system malfunctioned. While alarms don't always prevent burglaries, at the very least they will force the burglar to leave the premises within a couple of minutes.
- Do not assume dogs will prevent a burglary. Most dogs will not attack burglars unless trained to do so,
- Write down the serial numbers of your electronics. APD has adopted some greatly improved ways to track stolen items, so the chance your item will be recovered is increasing. It could also lead to an arrest of the perpetrators.
