Car Break-ins Reported in Virginia-Highland

Car break-ins continue to be a problem in Virginia-Highland.

Crime stats show three reported car break-ins during the last week of December and the first week of January.

To avoid car break-ins, police continue to remind residents about the clean car campaign, which promotes removing valuables from cars.

VHCA safety chairman John Wolfinger sent the following report to Virginia-Highland residents on Jan. 19.

The crimes in beat 601 are plotted on the interactive map above.

The following reports are gleaned from the Zone 6 crime stats for week 53 of 2011 and week 1 of 2012, with emphasis on our Beat 601, but with news from around the Zone as it applies to us.  Again, I state, that these reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you aware of what happens around us everyday and to raise your level of alertness.

Aggravated Assault  -  No reported incidents in Beat 601  

Auto Theft  -  One vehicle was reported stolen from Hudson Drive  

Auto Theft Recovery  -  No reported findings in Beat 601  

Residential Burglary  -  There were two reported incidents, both on Highland View and next door to each other on New Year's Eve.  One residence was entered via a pried open bedroom window and the other via a broken glass door window.  If you have windowed doors without an inside keyed lock - you are also very vulnerable for an easy entry to your home.  It's so easy to smash the window and reach in to unlock the door - change those locks NOW! There was also an attempted front door kick-in on Park Drive, while the residents were at home watching tv at 7:30 p.m.  The perp was scared away when the residents heard the noise and investigated.  The front porch lite was not on and that day's mail had not been taken from the mailbox either. This is a good time to honestly assess your outdoor lighting and get those dark areas lit up EVERY NITE.  All around the Zone in this two-week time period entry was made to residences via kicked-in doors six times.  

Commercial Burglary  -  No reported incidents in Beat 601  

Residential Robbery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 601  

Commercial Robbery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 601 South of here the Zesto's restaurant on Moreland Avenue was robbed at gunpoint at10:30 p.m. by one perp, who knew the code keys to open both cash registers and also cleaned out the unlocked safe.  A note to local businesses - change the code on your cash registers on a regular basis and if you have a safe - keep it locked.  Someone had to let this perp know how to open the registers - disgruntled former employee?  

Larceny From Vehicle  -  Only 3 reported incidents - on Briarcliff Place, Virginia Avenue and the North Highland Avenue parking lot behind the post office.  This last incident was a jack-pot for the perp - he (or she) found a laptop, an I-Pad and two cameras visible thru the vehicle windows at 8:45 a.m.  I guess that this victim did not see the Clean Car Campaign banner I have posted in this parking lot, or think that it applied to him. All around the Zone in this time period there were four handguns stolen (as well as a holster and 2 magazines), twelve laptops taken, two I-pads lifted, four GPS systems torn out, eight cell phones stolen, two license plates unbolted (keep checking yours) and two reported cases of all 4 tires/wheels taken off vehicles.  

Larceny Other  -  reported a shoplifter who escaped on foot, and was not caught. All around the Zone there were 3 different reports of items found missing on New Year's Day after the victims had hosted New Year's Eve parties - know who the guests are at your next party.  All around the Zone there were reports of 22 a/c units being stolen - 19 of them from one apartment complex on Flat Shoals Road, S.E.  

Pedestrian Robbery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 601 But elsewhere in the Zone there were two separate incidents (one on Boulevard and one on Memorial Drive) of pedestrians busy talking or texting on their cell phones and lost them to robbers.  At 2:15 a.m. a lone pedestrian was robbed at gunpoint on Colquitt Avenue in Inman Park.  On 1/6 at 2:30 a.m. on Highland Avenue in Inman Park/Fourth Ward two patrons of Jack's Pizza were robbed at gunpoint.  

See Something - Say Something    If you see some sort of suspicious activity or persons - please let APD know with a quickly placed 911 call.  We live here and know what is normal and what is NOT normal activity - we are all responsible for the protection of ourselves and our neighbors and a 911 call is an easy way to help APD.