Winona Park and Oakhurst Residents Seeing an Increase in Crime (Atlanta: 2013, home)

[LynnHarris]

This is so sad. People being robbed sitting in their own yard and in community parks in broad daylight.


"Fears have been stoked by a trio of brazen incidents beginning Monday night, when an Oakhurst resident was accosted by two men while sitting in his front yard. He foiled the attempted theft of his laptop computer by kicking one of the suspects in the groin, but subsequent victims haven’t been so lucky.

On Tuesday, three women were robbed at gunpoint while sitting in the playground area of Oakhurst Park. Decatur police are still on the lookout for three teen male suspects, one of whom drove off in a maroon Honda CRV owned by one of the victims. The thieves also made off with an iPhone..."

Carjacking latest in a series of crimes to hit Decatur;police... | www.ajc.com

[arjay57]

So what's the story with street crime in Decatur?

Hopefully the Decatur PD will get a grip on this situation shortly. I've always tended to think of Decatur as a safe, laid back neighborhood, but maybe that is part of their problem -- they are perceived as too easy going!

-- Apparently there were three armed robberies last night after the Decatur high school football game. Armed robberies reported after Decatur High football game - Atlanta INtown Paper

-- A middle schooler got mugged on the way home Wednesday. Decatur Police Issue Robbery Alert Following Middle Schooler's Mugging - Police & Fire - Decatur-Avondale Estates, GA Patch

-- That's in addition to a number of other similar incidents. Teen robbers targeting Decatur neighborhood | www.wsbtv.com

[LovelySummer]

Wait a minute. So Decatur is not Pleasantville? Things that happen in the rest of the world really do happen in the saintly city of Decatur? Say it isn't so!!!

[arjay57]

Well, for a long time Decatur was a pretty good representation of Pleasantville. To me it sounds like they've been having more than just the occasional incident lately.

[jeoff]

Some bad people close to Decatur have figured out it is a target rich environment--Decatur now has a lot of people with money--used to living in safe suburbs--that just aren't used to having careful all of the time.

[AtlJan]

Or maybe the thieves are sick of getting shot at by homeowners in Buckhead? I wonder how the percentage of homeowners who own guns compares between Decatur and Buckhead.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

Or maybe the thieves are sick of getting shot at by homeowners in Buckhead? I wonder how the percentage of homeowners who own guns compares between Decatur and Buckhead.

Excellent point.

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

Or maybe the thieves are sick of getting shot at by homeowners in Buckhead? I wonder how the percentage of homeowners who own guns compares between Decatur and Buckhead.

A middle schooler walking home from school, mothers taking their babies to a park, and folks walking home from a football game. Which of those do you expect to be packing heat?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jeoff

A middle schooler walking home from school, mothers taking their babies to a park, and folks walking home from a football game. Which of those do you expect to be packing heat?

They need training. You can't just throw people out there without showing them the techniques for bringing their weapons to fight. A properly armed mom with good tactical skills is a force to be reckoned with, especially if she is defending her child.

[LynnHarris]

Originally Posted by arjay57

A properly armed mom with good tactical skills is a force to be reckoned with, especially if she is defending her child.

You got that right...