Police Investigate Burglaries at "Upscale" Homes

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Editor’s note: the following incidents were taken from the Sandy Springs Police Department’s weekly Wrap Up compiled by Capt. Steve Rose, which contains some — not all — of the incidents that occurred Nov. 23-26:

Burglary

• 6000 block of Riverside Drive, 30328, 11/23: Just after 1 p.m., cops, responding to an alarm, found pry marks, evidence of a forced entry through a porch door of the home. The victim said that nothing appears missing. The burglar did go through dresser drawers in the bedroom and drawers in the kitchen before leaving.
• 5000 block of Riverview Road, 30342, 11/23: Just before 2 p.m., a resident found a window that was broken and called police. Nothing was taken. It appears someone did enter the home but quickly left after an alarm activated.
• Bentley Manor, 30342, 11/23: The resident said someone came into the home sometime between 6 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The entry point was a rear window. Missing is a 48-inch TV, jewelry, and a gun.
• Ascot Manor, 30342, 11/23: The resident reported that sometime between Nov. 11-15 when they were out of town, someone attempted to enter the home, evident by the pry marks found on the door jamb. At the time of report, nothing was missing.
• 600 block of Forest Hills Drive, 30342, 11/25: The resident said she was in her home around 10:15 a.m. when a man came into her home. They came face to face and he told her he was there to pick up the furniture. She told him she didn’t arrange for that and asked who he worked for. He pointed to a construction truck for a granite surface installation company. The man then walked out and down the street. The men on the truck said the man did not work for them. She discovered that the man entered through a kitchen window — probably unaware she was home. Partial prints were taken from the window ledge.
• Capt. Steve Rose says: Three of the above burglaries are connected. Ascot Manor, Bentley Manor and Riverview are all within proximity of one another. All are upscale homes near Northside Drive. The burglar(s) probably banked on the hope that the residents were out of town. Alarms are a good deterrent as in one of the above cases. The best defense as far as being proactive is be consistent. Look for suspicious activity such as cars cruising slowly or circling the area. Anyone on foot going home to home should be the subject of a 911 call. Remember that we don’t give complainant information when we come into contact with people. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your first instincts. Go with those, not the second one. The first is usually on the mark. Even if the subject of the call is legit, you still get the police car in the neighborhood and the word gets out. Don’t be afraid to call when you see something. Remember that in single-dwelling homes, the preferred entry point is a rear window or door. Make sure yours are shored up. Metal doors are excellent for basement doors. Deadbolts are a must.

Thefts

• 6900 block of Roswell Road, 30328, 11/23: The victim’s car was taken from an apartment parking lot.
• 7700 block of Spalding Drive, 30350, 11/23: The manager of the Publix called police regarding a Dodge Challenger that was parked for several days in the parking lot. The car displayed an Ohio tag that when checked, showed to be stolen from Rainbow City, Alabama, on Nov. 15. It was towed in and held for the owner.
• A woman reported that her older Honda Civic was stolen from Summit Springs Drive (30350).
• 5670 Roswell Road, 30342, 11/24: A 12-year-old boy said he and his brother were on their new Segway Hoverboards around 8 p.m. when he was approached by a white female and black male who were in a dark vehicle. She seemed interested in the board and asked to try it. The boy let her do so and as such, she gave it to the male and they fled in the car with the hoverboard, valued at $430.

Thefts From Vehicles

• 5793 Roswell Road, 30342, 11/23: Surface One Tablet and debit card
• 4700 block of Dudley Lane, 30342, 11/23: Backpack blower from landscaping truck
• 8040 Roswell Road, 30350, 11/23: Personal information
• 600 block of Harbor Pointe, 30350, 11/23: Juvenile caught stealing from car.
• 66 Northwood Drive, 30342, 11/24: Construction tools
• Abernathy Road, 30328, 11/24: Not listed
• 6690 Roswell (LA Fitness), 30328, 11/24: Locker theft, keys used to enter car, wallet taken (There were three thefts -- same M.O. -- at LA Fitness.
• 6200 block Aberdeen Drive, 30328, 11/26: Foam MetLife Snoopy Dog

Assault

• A 50-year-old woman called police around 10 p.m. and reported that an acquaintance called her to help her get into her mother’s home because she was too drunk to open the door. She went over there and then got shoved by the woman. She returned home and cried. The officer noted the complainant was also pretty hammered.

Other Things

• A 61-year-old woman reported that she was with a prayer group at the Mosaic Apartments, located at 5675 Roswell Road. She said as they were leaving, one of the members of the prayer group backed into her, knocked her down, and caused her to hit her head, knocking her unconscious. She woke in an ambulance and was taken to the hospital. Apparently the driver left, but is known to the prayer group members. One of the members who helped the victim told police that the members -- or at least some of them -- attempted to hide the fact that she was hit by the car. Now, to make this more interesting, about three days earlier, same victim was reported injured from a fall where she hit her head but was not hit by a car.
• A woman reported that she was at the traffic light when the car behind her began to honk the horn. When the light changed, she proceeded. The woman in the car behind, came around and gave her an I-285 handshake with one finger. The victim said she returned the salute which prompted the horn honker to display a pistol. She said the woman did not point it at her however. She was in a Jeep and was described as between 40 and 50 years old and chubby.

Fraud

• A resident contacted the police reporting that someone opened a Verizon account in her name and charged up $8,700 on it. She was contacted by a collection service.
• A woman reported that she used her debit card at the Shell Station in the 5800 block of Roswell Road and shortly after, the card number was used at the same location for $95. Later, the card number was used at a Walmart in Athens and Sam’s Club in Bogart.

Arrests

• 6400 block of Roswell Road, 30328, 11/24: A patrol officer saw a man and woman in the back parking lot of Flashers club around 10:30 p.m. He checked the man’s ID and found he was wanted in Habersham County for a probation violation regarding a previous drug arrest for amphetamines.
• Two men were detained at the Wendy’s on Perimeter Center West while in the drive through lane, attempting to use a $50 counterfeit bill. The told the officers that they bought a Hawk’s ticket from a scalper downtown who gave him the $50 bill in change. The bill was taken as evidence. No charges were filed.

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