More than 30 cars broken into in Buckhead (Atlanta, Lenox: for rent, crime)

[roadtrip75]

Remember when Lenox Road was one of the jewels of Atlanta? It has really degenerated during the last 10 years.

More than 30 cars broken into in Buckhead

There are so many thugs living in those complexes nowadays that anyone who saw the thieves likely mistook them for residents.

[brownhornet]

And you assume that its "thugs living in the complexes" why? Let me ask you a question, do you ever watch the Atlanta version of the show Bait Car? If so you'd probably realize how silly your comment seems based on the people that get caught.

[Iconographer]

I don't think we're talking about fellow residents here; they come to Buckhead for the same reason that Jesse James robbed banks...because that's where the money is. Lenox Road is still a very viable place to live, just as is the rest of Buckhead, Midtown and Virginia-Highland...yet all of these neighborhoods have experienced highly publicized crimes over the past few months. It's really just a wake-up call that even in the best Atlanta neighborhoods we have to stay on our toes these days.

[SAAN]

These break ins should finally teach folks to stop leaving there GPS, laptops, and ipods in plain sight because there are thieves everywhere including Buckhead. I dont even leave my cell charger in plain site now adays with how bad smash and grabs are becoming. My friends complex in buckhead had 20 cars broken into last yr and the rims stolen off a car in the middle of the day and the only thing i noticed thug wise around there were some of the womens boyfriends who didnt live there would visit the complex all the time to see them. So it goes to show you can charge $1000 for rent and keep thugs from living there but you cant keep them from visiting, so be street smart and keep your guard up.

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

How can someone break into 30 cars and no one heard anything

I mean busted windows...what about a car alarm?

[testa50]

Bottom line: don't leave stuff in your car in this city. The surest way to be a victim of crime in this city is to leave something in your car, and the surest way to avoid being the victim of a crime is to avoid leaving anything in your car.

It's would be awesome if the cops started leaving monitored decoy cars around with iPods sitting on the passenger seats, and massively publicize a few busts. At least make the thieves sweat if they want to engage in this sort of crime.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by SAAN

These break ins should finally teach folks to stop leaving there GPS, laptops, and ipods in plain sight

Exactly! It boggles my mind what I see people leave out in the open in their car. Leaving your stuff out in the open in a car is the same as storing your valuables on your front steps: It's basically a welcome sign to thieves.

[Mishap]

^Factory car alarms only go off if you open the doors. Leave a GPS or iPod on the center console and they can steal it w/o much noise. It can be even quieter if they use "ninja rocks" which are the ceramic pieces off spark plugs that go through tempered car windows almost silently. Check out videos of them in action on Youtube. If the guy took his time, he still probably got through all those cars in under an hour. That said, what's the street value of GPS units and used MP3 players these days? GPS units are $100 new and almost no one leaves more than a $150 iPod nano in the car. Even w/ 30 cars, you're talking a street value of like 1-2k w/ probably 20-30k in damage to the cars. That basically limits you to a homeless crackhead or some high school thugs since you can probably get more grabbing a few Macbook Pros from your local Starbucks.

It's crime of opportunity vs. an issue of the residents. I've had my car in the city 3 yrs and since my GPS is built into the car and I don't leave so much as spare change in the cabin, I've been issue free so far despite there having been a few break ins at my deck. Don't even use those suction cups b/c they leave an imprint on the glass which is practically a red flag to smash into the car since how many people actually remove the unit from the car? If the car isn't attractive to thieves, it'll get left alone for the most part. Short of having a posted guard or a secured private garage there's not a lot you can do to stop smash and grabs since they happen very quickly.

[tigers84]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Exactly! It boggles my mind what I see people leave out in the open in their car. Leaving your stuff out in the open in a car is the same as storing your valuables on your front steps: It's basically a welcome sign to thieves.

Indeed. I mean its not the fault of the crooks/thieves -- they were just doing what "comes natural". We should put the "stupid" victims in jail and give the criminals a pat on the back for teaching those dummies a lesson!

[JPD]

Originally Posted by tigers84

Indeed. I mean its not the fault of the crooks/thieves -- they were just doing what "comes natural". We should put the "stupid" victims in jail and give the criminals a pat on the back for teaching those dummies a lesson!

You live in an fictional reality if you think there is a better alternative than street smarts. Crimes of opportunity will always happen, no matter what. The ONLY thing one can do is make themselves less likely to be the victim.