Sandy Springs Blotter: Woman Falls For 'Jury Duty' Scam

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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 Aug. 1-6:

Fraud

• A 51-year old woman reported she received a phone call from a Fulton County police officer regarding a warrant for failure to appear for jury duty. He told her he would need to arrest her and wait five days for her to make bond but she could pay the bond and so, without verifying anything, she went to Kroger and purchased a Visa card for $900 and called, then gave the PIN number to the crook posing as the officer. She mailed the Visa card to an address. Later, her husband checked with the courthouse personnel on Central Avenue and found that this was a scam. Capt. Steve Rose says: Remember this checklist: 1. Ask questions, detailed questions. They’ll give themselves away. 2. Ask to speak to another person. Tell them you’ll return the call after you verify who is calling. 3. Remain skeptical and don’t be intimidated. Pick at the story. Tell them you’ll come in, but with counsel. Just don’t believe this line they’re floating — especially when they talk about paying them. That’s the dead giveaway. In this case, the Fulton County police, or what’s left of it, doesn’t involve itself in jury matters. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Department handles that. Most people don’t know that but little things like this will give the crook’s agenda away. Always ask to speak to a supervisor and request ID. They don’t take payment on the phone via financial cards.

Robbery

• 500 block of Northridge Road, 30350, 8/1: The 28-year-old victim said he was on the stairs in front of his apartment building around noon when he was approached by four black males, one of whom pulled a gun and said “What’s this about you f---king with my baby mama?” The four entered a car and then left. The victim said he was having issues with his girlfriend and she hinted around to him that the father would be over to see him. The identity of the suspect who pulled the gun is known and warrants are currently out on him. He is being sought at this time.

Burglary

• 600 block of River Chase Point, 30328, 8/2 (0300-0830): Someone entered the home through a basement window they forced open. Several items were taken from the basement as well as items from a car.
• 100 block of Trail Point, 30350, 8/2: The resident returned from out of town and found that someone had entered the home and had taken several items of jewelry and cash.
• 4600 Roswell Road, 30342, 8/3: Employees of a painting company reported that spray-painting machine was stolen as were a couple of 100-foot extension electrical cords. The items were taken from a storage area.
• 415 Morgan Falls Road, 30350, 8/3 (0830-1730): The victim said someone pushed open a window to the apartment and took clothing, jewelry, and electronics.

Thefts

• A woman on Morgan Falls Road left her apartment from 12:45 until 2 p.m. She returned home and found it unlocked and $500 missing from her dresser drawer. She said a few weeks prior, she had $300 taken from that same drawer.
• 9400 Roberts Drive, 30350, 8/3: A 25-year-old woman said her ex-boyfriend and her two minor children arrived at the location. He was removing his personal belongings from the apartment. He wanted to see the kids again but she said they were asleep. He became angry and took two boxes of shoes that didn’t belong to him. He then left.
• 8040 Roswell Road, 30350, 8/3: A .380 Beretta pistol was stolen from the Sandy Springs Gun Club. The suspects were two males who left in a blue Audi A4.
• 8601 Roberts Drive, 30350, 8/3: A 35-year-old man reported that lawn equipment had been stolen from his parked trailer. Those items include a Honda push mower, Kawasaki push mower and Stihl weed eater.
• A woman said she left her orange wallet under her desk during lunch. Someone took it.
• 1100 Hammond Drive, 30328, 8/4: Employees of Einstein Brothers Bagels reported that an employee took $560 from the drive through register. Video showed him removing the cash and placing it in his pocket. Warrants are pending.
• A woman reported to the Sandy Springs Police that her wallet and cash were stolen in Encino, California. Another woman reported that her wallet was stolen in New York.
• A third woman reported that an engagement ring was stolen from her purse while she attended a party in Sandy Springs.
• A woman reported she cashed a check at the Best Bank 8331 Roswell Road, and later used a $100 bill to pay a restaurant bill at which time she was told the bill was counterfeit. She returned to the bank and they took it, swapped it for a good one, and said they would investigate.
• 1145 Mt. Vernon Hwy, 30328, 8/6: A woman reported that she left her wallet at the Chick-Fil-A and three debit-card transactions were found on the card.

Thefts From Vehicles

• 5675 Roswell Road, 30342, 8/1: Backpack blower
• 4000 block of Jett Road, 30342, 8/3: Leaf blowers from pickup
• 1000 Johnson Ferry Road, 30342, 8/3: Michael Kors purse, Alabama ID, checkbook
• 5665 New Northside Drive, 30339, 8/4: Tag
• 8879 Roswell Road, 30350, 8/4: Laptop
• 8549 Roswell Road, 30350, 8/4: Several electronic items
• 7200 block Dunhill Terrace, 30328, 8/4: Registration sticker
• 500 block of Spring Creek, 30350, 8/5: Tag
• 7000 blk Hunters Branch, 30328, 8/6: Prescription pills
• 1400 blk Sandalwood Dr, 30350, 8/6: 2 men arrested

Assualt

• 6075 Roswell Road, 30328, 8/3: A 25-year-old man said he left the Taboo 2 Bar around 3:22 a.m. after drinking at the bar. He left and while walking in the parking lot to his car, he was confronted by another man who said the victim owed him money for drinks that he consumed at the bar. The man punched the victim. 3-4 other suspects joined in and all apparently punched the victim before fleeing in a Toyota Corolla. The main suspect is a black male, one-inch dreadlocks, tight fake leather pants and a white and red shirt. He was about 5’-9” and 170. The victim declined medical attention at the scene.

Other Things

• Cops were called to Natchez Trace around 3 a.m. August 1 after receiving a call from a man who said he was hit in the head by a hammer, then hung up. When they got there, he said the entertainment center fell, hitting in the head. The others in the apartment, as well as the victim were “extremely uncooperative.” The victim, limping, sweating, and saying that he hit his leg on the railing, eventually asked for an ambulance. He, nor the others, would provide any information close to the truth so the officers left.
• A woman reported that she has been receiving a number of calls around 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the caller either hung up or didn’t say anything. On one call, the caller asked if the person was Rachael. She found that the calls were coming from Fulton County Jail.
• A woman reported that her neighbor confronted her regarding his opinion that she was not keeping a drainage passage, between the two yards, clean of debris. He then went back inside the home. Later that evening while she stood in her driveway, he came back out and called her “white trash” and “slut” and told her that he wished she was in the army 30 years ago “because you wouldn’t be around now.” She thinks all this was in response to putting up a wooden fence.
• A woman reported that she returned a phone call to someone who said he was with the IRS and his name was “Agent Banks.” He said he had a warrant for her and needed her personal information which she (yes) gave him before realizing it was a scam.

Arrests

• Officers arrested two persons regarding a panhandling call at 5830 Roswell Road just after 2 a.m. One of whom was wanted on a couple of warrants from Floyd County.
• A man on Northwood Drive was stopped during late hours and confirmed to be wanted by Gwinnett County PD on traffic charges.
• Two persons were arrested at 9400 Roberts Drive just after midnight after cops responded to a disturbance. Here are the highlights: argument between fiance and fiance; female threw things; male pushed her down into the bathtub; she came out of the tub and threw more things, including a beer bottle that connected, causing minor bleeding and swelling of the nose of the male; the pair have been living together for two months and engaged for two years; both were arrested.
• 395 Mt. Vernon Hwy, 30328, 8/3: Around 11 a.m. cops were called to the library regarding a man creating a disturbance. Apparently he was too loud and was asked by the staff to tone it down. He became loud and verbally abusive to the staff. The officers approached him and he continued to create a disturbance, using profane language. He was arrested.
• Cops met a man who wanted to retrieve property from an apartment at the 2300 block of Summit Springs Drive. They checked the ID of the man and found that he was wanted in Delaware by the Delaware State Police on two counts of fraud and one of burglary. He never got what he wanted from the apartment.
• CVS, 7355 Roswell Road, 30350, 8/3: A man stole a pair of sunglasses and men’s socks. He actually took the items around asking customers to pay for them, then walked out of the store. When the cops arrived, he was wearing the socks. He told the officers he was Jesus Christ of Bethlehem (Opposed to Jesus Christ of Smyrna I guess) and then he said his name was Colonel Austin Lee Magors (Majors?) and finally, the real name, verified by a SSN. The employee requested the sunglasses back, but said he could keep the socks. He was arrested.
• 6300 block of Roswell Road, 30328, 8/5: A 31-year-old woman reported that a man, whom she did not know, tried to get into her car through her passenger door. She exited the car and went to the nearby Shell Station and called the police. An officer nearby, spotted the man who was quite drunk. He was arrested.
• Following a traffic stop in the 6200 block of Roswell Road on August 5, the officer found that the driver was wanted for Aggravated Assault in Clayton County. He was arrested and transferred to Clayton.

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Photo credit: Sandy Springs police