Precinct 2 Criminal Investigations

 

 

 

Precinct Two

Date- 10/26/2009

PENS Bulletin

Current Crime trends- residential burglaries continue to be a problem for the citizens of the south Cobb area. These burglaries appear to be the work of juveniles and for the most part occur during the daytime. The area has also seen an increase in the past couple of weeks in business burglaries. There are two identified problem areas; (1) Six Flags Road between I-20 and Factory Shoals Road and (2) Austell Road near Floyd Road. Both have distinctive M.O's. Please report any suspicious activity in the area to 911. There has also been a small spike in entering autos along the East West Connector business corridor. The theft of weapons always poses problems. Please keep all guns stored in a safe place and have the serial numbers recorded for reference if necessary.

 

What you and your neighbors can do-

 

-Report anything suspicious to 911 and allow the officers to respond and confront these situations. Be able to report who, what, when how many, and direction of travel and type of vehicle. Be involved! If you are an active part of your neighborhood or business watch…help us by watching out for your neighbors and business associates.

 

- Saturday October 31 st is Halloween and we would like for all to stay as safe as possible. Some simple tips are:

 

  1-Keep the exterior of your home well lit.

  2-Keep your doors locked. Unlock them as necessary.

  3-Garage your vehicles if possible and close and lock the garage door.

  4-Help keep a watchful eye on your neighbor's home.

  5-Report any suspicious activity to 911.

  6-Make certain that your children are supervised by you or another responsible adult.

  7-Check the safety of costumes (eye holes, fit, loose strings, props)

  8-Walk in groups and carry working flashlights.

  9-Walk on sidewalks whenever available.   

  

 

For more useful tips log onto www. halloween - safety .com/

 

Recent arrests-

 

**** BAT ( B urglary A pprehension T eam), Uniform Officers, K-9 Officer and CIU 2 Detectives worked together to identify a group of suspects targeting homes in the Six Flags area. A vehicle stop led to the arrest of four suspects involved in burglaries and the recovery of stolen property.

 

 

Remember to encourage your neighbors and business associates to join ours PENS 2 website. This website contains crime updates, crime analysis and more…simply have them log on to p2.police.cobbcountyga.gov We have already seen our membership increase by several hundred just over the past few months!!!!

 

 

Precinct 2

Pens Bulletin

10/12/2009

Cobb County announces storm debris pick up-
Cobb County 's Department of Transportation will coordinate pick up of flood debris from properties in unincorporated Cobb County .

For a 30 day period between September 29 and October 26 residents can request and be provided a container/dumpster which can be filled by the resident with flood damaged materials inclusive of furniture, appliances, carpeting and sheet rock. The cut off of such requests will be October 26 allowing seven days for those residents to complete their debris removal. Vegetative debris and concrete are not to be placed in the container.

Requesting residents must agree that the container is placed on private property so as not to impact traffic in the roadway.

Dumpster requests should be directed to 770-528-3666

Cobb County has a central Web page dedicated to flood disaster recovery information, where residents can find details including volunteering, road closures, emergency shelters, public safety and a field guide for cleaning up flood damaged homes. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/flood

 

Current Crime trends - Recently homeowner's, churches and businesses were affected by devastating floods. Hundreds of citizens, community leaders, civic organizations, local, state and Federal agencies banded together to respond and offer assistance. Cobb County Public Safety, CERT, and Cobb County public works reacted swiftly to help. Initially, officers and fire personnel responded to help evacuate those isolated by the quickly rising waters and close roadways too dangerous to navigate. Throughout the incident the department adjusted manpower and assigned specialty units and authorized officers to work additional hours to assist those in need. This included posting officers 24 hours a day in the most critical locations.

Many citizens took the time to express their thanks for this response as well as call in suspicious activity. These calls facilitated several arrests against those attempting to steal from the flood victims. Thanks to each of you who called and gave necessary information that assisted the police in these endeavors. There were a few of the flooded homeowners that were the targets of burglars and thieves, however, those numbers have significantly decreased.

These folks still need our help. Continue to look out for suspicious persons in the area and report this to 911 immediately.

The areas of 215 beat and 216 beat saw an increase in residential burglaries. Several of the witnesses reported seeing teenage black males sporting Mohawk hairstyles in the area just prior to or immediately after the burglaries occurred. The BAT (Burglary Apprehension Team), uniformed officers, Criminal Investigators and K-9 units responded to this spike and made several significant arrests.

The area also had several business burglaries at car washes. Morning watch officers responded to suspicious activity at a car wash on Austell Road and arrested a couple for Loitering and Prowling. This arrest, coupled with the vehicle they were in led to this duo being charged with several business burglaries in Cobb County , City of Marietta , Powder Springs, Hiram and Dallas .

We had a slight increase in Entering Autos along the businesses and apartments off of the East-West connector. This trend may have been thwarted by the arrest of some entering auto suspects made by CIU 1 Detectives.

 

What can you and your neighbors do- The most important avenue of help is being willing to be involved. This includes being an alert neighbor. If you see something that isn't right in your area and think it is suspicious then call 911 and they will dispatch a uniformed officer to check. The responding officers can help determine if the person or auto belong in the area. School is in session!!!!!! Those who appear to be of school age do not belong on the street during scheduled school hours without a reason.

We had ten vacant homes entered last month. All were forcibly entered and only a few had items stolen out of them. If you have vacant homes, whether through foreclosure, impending sales, new homes still for sale, or homes under renovation in your area, please help us keep an eye on them. They are targets for thefts of their fixtures, a/c units, copper, or any tools left during renovation. These thefts occur mainly during the day. Vacant homes are also used for “skip parties” (party place for students skipping school), storing stolen items or targets for vandals. Call 911 if you see unusual activity in these homes.

Lock you cars even when they are parked in your driveway. Remove valuables. It is amazing how many people leave cash, computers, small electronics (GPS, Ipods, etc.) in side of unlocked cars. Flippers will go through the neighborhood at night and check the locks on car doors looking for the easy target. If the target isn't quite so easily accessible but is visible…then they will simply break out the car window.

Make certain to use available technology to help with your home protection. Monitored alarm systems, audible alarms, computer video imaging, exterior spot light video cards are lower in price than ever. Document the valuable that you do own including recording all serial numbers and store this in a separate area. Large dogs are a great deterrent. Since it is getting darker earlier make certain that all exterior lighting works properly. Motion sensor spot lights are a terrific idea. Lock your exterior doors even when you are at home. The most common method of operation is for persons to knock on your door. If someone answers they simply say they were looking for “someone named ????”. If no one responds to the knocking or the doorbell then they or their partner go to the back door and try the same thing. If they get no response they will force a window or door open and will remove items of value within minutes. They use look outs on foot or in vehicles and use cell phone to communicate. If you see this in your neighborhood call the police!

Help spread the word about PENS 2. I have given this information to countless victims. If we increase the numbers then we help to increase our overall awareness. We recently had a great meeting with our PENS members as a Cobb County Deputy Sheriff conducted a mini-seminar on identity theft. We will be hosting our next quarterly PENS 2 meeting in January 2010.

 

Precinct Two

 

Date- 08/28/2009

 

PENS Bulletin

 

Questions and Answers- What is the difference between a robbery and a burglary? That is a great question because when you call 911 I am certain that you want to give the most correct information. Robbery involves force or the threat of force directly to a person and burglary is entering without authority to commit a felony or theft. I have attached the Georgia code sections which define both:

 

Robbery (16-8-40)

 

(a) A person commits the offense of robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another:

(1) By use of force;

(2) By intimidation, by the use of threat or coercion , or by placing such person in fear of immediate serious bodily injury to himself or to another; or

(3) By sudden snatching.

 

Burglary (16-7-1)

 

•  A person commits the offense of burglary when, without authority and with the intent to commit a felony or theft therein, he enters or remains within the dwelling house of another or any building, vehicle, railroad car, watercraft, or other such structure designed for use as the dwelling of another or enters or remains within any other building, railroad car, aircraft, or any room or any part thereof.

 

 

Current crime trends - Precinct 2 continues to experience residential burglaries. We average a little more than two residential burglaries a day. It is a crime that we battle daily and have seen success in arresting several suspects.

 

 

 

 

What you and your neighbors can do- The best thing is to remain active and involved. School is back in session and students should be in school during the day. When you see persons who obviously are students in the neighborhood during school hours keep an eye on them. If they go to homes or yards or vehicles where they don't belong then call 911. Officers will respond and confront them. Be prepared to give good descriptions of their clothing, age, actions, and direction of travel if they leave before the Police arrive.

 

If you serve on the board for a homeowners association, are an apartment manager or own a business in the South Cobb area we would like for you to attend our next PENS meeting which will be held at the South Cobb Government Building (near South Cobb High School) located at 4700 Austell Rd. on September 17, 2009 @ 7 p.m.

 

 

We appreciate your help and involvement!

Precinct 2 - PENS Bulletin
July 30, 2009

Current crime trends-
The most recent crime trends indicate that thefts of property from outside homes, inside businesses, and from autos are in the spotlight. There is also a group of suspects that are committing business burglaries. They are targeting small convenience stores and shops.

What you and your neighbors can do-
Continue to be aware of your surroundings. If you see or hear something suspicious call 911 and allow the police to respond and investigate. Be prepared to tell the 911 dispatcher who, what, when, descriptions of the suspects, description of vehicles, how many are involved and direction of travel if they leave.

Make it more difficult for suspects to steal your possessions. Do not leave valuables visible in open carports. If that is the only place they can be stored then use a chain and lock them up. Make certain that vehicles parked in the driveway are locked and all valuables inside the car are not visible. Suspects love to check car doors for unlocked vehicles or peer inside locked vehicles for any valuables. The most popular items continue to be GPS units, purses, computers, cash, guns etc. Utilize exterior lighting (motion sensor lights, flood lights, etc.) Keep your garage doors closed even when you are at home.

Businesses are encouraged to make certain that their alarm systems are working properly and are registered with Cobb County Police. To register on line go to: police.cobbcountyga.gov and follow the link.

Be aware that Cobb County Schools will start August 10, 2009. For a complete look at the school calendar and start/end times for Middle and High School students go to: www.cobb.k12.ga.us/generalinfo/calendars/ . Once school is back in session keep an eye out for students in the area that should be attending class and are not. This should be reported especially if they are seen going into backyards, etc.

Recent arrests in Precinct Two-
The BAT unit arrested two suspects when they responded to a residential burglary in progress. They were arrested without incident. Two uniform officers responded to a citizen's call of suspicious activity in the area of Village Lane Drive. The officers approached on foot and saw a male and female breaking into several vehicles. Both were taken into custody and charged with seven counts of entering auto, obstruction and criminal trespass.

We will be scheduling our next meeting for PENS members during the month of September

PENS Bulletin
July 2nd, 2009

Current Crime Trends -
Precinct two is experiencing an increase in entering autos that are specific to newer model Dodge Chargers. There does not appear to be any forced entry, however, the locking mechanisms are being defeated. All of these autos have been targeted at the Six Flags Park or exterior parking lots. There has also been an increase in entering autos in the apartment complexes in the South Cobb area where in-dash stereo systems are being stolen from both locked and unlocked vehicles. We have had three gas stations burglarized and the suspects are stealing cartons of cigarettes. (Floyd Road, Austell Road and Veterans Memorial Highway)

What can you and your neighbors do?
Park your vehicle in a well lit area and do not leave any valuables visible. Do not park your vehicle and then transfer your valuables to the trunk. In some instances the suspects may be watching and you and your vehicle becomes a more likely target. After a large purchase take the item home and then cut up the box. Do not advertise what new items have been purchased by leaving the box at the curb with the weekly trash. Never store weapons, cash, computers etc. in you vehicle overnight. Flippers (suspects that check car handles for unlocked vehicles) will search for easy targets.

Look and listen for strange occurrences and call 911. What is strange? Each of us is familiar with who and what belong in the area where we work and live. Glass breaking, dogs barking, motion lights coming on are certainly signs that should raise suspicion. Call the police and be prepared to give descriptions of how many suspects, age, clothing, direction of travel, vehicle, tag on the vehicle etc. Do not confront suspicious persons. Allow the Cobb County Police the opportunity to respond.

Suggest that your neighbors, area businesses and, homeowner associations become familiar with PENS 2, which covers activity in the South Cobb area.

The Cobb County Police Department appreciates that each of you wants to help to be part of the solution to continue to make Cobb a great place to live and work.

Recent arrests in Precinct Two -
On 6/26/2009 Officers responded to a call of suspicious activity at the Trail Wood MHP on South Gordon Road where two females were seen loading items out of a mobile home into a vehicle. Timely updates from 911 dispatch received from concerned citizen were relayed to responding officers. The officers arrived and detained both suspects. As a result of their investigation both suspects were charged with burglary

PENS Bulletin

Precinct 2 PENS Bulletin


The Precinct 2 Two PENS Program and website is involved in a major reorganization to ensure consistency with all the other Police PENS sites.  This look will mirror each of the other sites but the information will be specific the geographical precincts. 

We would like to update and increase our current distribution lists, create new specialized distribution lists, and have more of our community, including residential and businesses involved in the PENS program.

The information exchanged via the website and email is used with the intent of reducing crime in Precinct Two and to prevent criminals from exploiting targets of opportunity by educating our citizens and businesses on methods for safeguarding their property, businesses, and most importantly, themselves.  So take advantage of this great site and help us work together for our community. 

What can you do to avoid becoming a victim?

As a homeowner there is only so much that you can do to protect against a burglary.  If a criminal wants to get into your home, chances are they will find a way.  Most residential burglaries occur during the daytime hours when homeowners are away at work, school, running errands etc.  Most burglars want to avoid confrontation.  Make certain that all doors and windows are locked.  If you have an operating alarm system have it turned on while away.  Consider using some type of video surveillance (a picture is worth a thousand words).  Large dogs are a great deterrent. 

Try not to store items of value in plain view outside the home.  Keep the car doors locked while they are parked on the property and do not store valuables in plain view in vehicles.  The most popular thefts from vehicles are GPS units, weapons, laptop computers, and cash. 

What can be done to assist my neighbors and the Police?

Observant neighbors who are willing to report any suspicious activity to the police as is it happening allows for a timely response.  Things that are suspicious can include persons driving vehicles slowly through the area, unfamiliar vehicle parked in a driveway, persons who you know don't live in the area, teenagers that should be in school during school hours, any glass breaking,  persons carrying items out of a house, etc.  If you think it is suspicious… then it usually is.  Call 911 and be prepared to describe the suspicious activity, all persons involved, the type of vehicle (color, make, year model, tag, and any other distinguishing features), and direction of travel if they leave the area.  We do not advise any one to confront criminals.  Please allow the responding police officers to do this.  We simply appreciate you giving us the information.  

 

Precinct 2 has experienced a significant reduction in robberies since the inception of the VIPER Unit. VIPER stands for Violent Incident Prevention and Early Response. The Unit was formed with the south side of the precinct saw a large number of street robberies. The result has been phenomenal.

 

The Unit is responsible for many felony arrests as well as the seizure of many weapons. The presence of these offices in precinct 2 has made a measurable difference in violent crimes.

 

Precinct 2 has seen an increase in property crimes, namely residential burglaries. A large numbers of these burglaries are being perpetrated by students who skip school to commit their crimes. The suspects will hide the stolen property then return to school. After school, the suspects will come back and recover the property.

 

Everyone is asked to be advised that juveniles walking through a neighborhood during school hours should be considered as suspicious. You should call 911 to report the activity. Make sure to get an accurate and detailed description of what the juveniles look like and are wearing. Take time to observe details that may be difficult to mask like what color their shoes or shoe laces may be. Or any identifying marks or jewelry. It is difficult for an officer to look for someone wearing a black t-shirt and jeans but if they also have orange shoe laces the individual may stand out.

 

In response to the increase in burglaries, the police department is in the process of developing a residential burglary task force that will proactively combat these types of crime. That Unit is still in its infancy. You will hear more about that Unit at a later time.

 

What can you do to avoid becoming a victim? There are incidents that are recurring where vehicles are being entered and property stolen everyday. Everyday there are numerous reports where vehicles are left unlocked or valuable property is left in plain view. The best plan is to leave nothing of value in your vehicle. However, at least hide your valuables and lock your car.

 

Also, women who park their car get out and place their purse in the trunk, then walk away, often return to a broken window and their purse missing. Suspects are observing parking lots and see you putting your purse in the trunk. Take your purse with you or at least put it in the trunk before your final destination.

 

If you have any questions you may send them using the Contact Pens button.