Zone 2 reports violent crime down, arrest successes

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The Atlanta Police Department’s Zone 2 Commander Maj. Van Hobbs told theboard of Neighborhood Planning Unit B July 3 “We look good in violent crime” inBuckhead. “We’re down in homicide, rape, robbery and burglary,” he said. 
Maj. Hobbs said aggravated assault is up fromlast year but added it currently is dropping. Buthe emphasized the major problems are burglary and car larceny. 

Zone 2's Maj. Van Hobbs

The major, whotook over command of Zone 2 earlier this year, saidpolice recently caught a suspect that shoplifted and then attempted to breakinto a car as well.  When Zone 2 policecaught the suspect, it turned out he had an extensive criminal historyincluding robbery, burglary, larceny and auto theft. The suspect may beresponsible for many car break-ins in the area, Hobbs added.
“We tracked him back to break-ins in Zone 5,” Hobbs said. “Thearea he was in has not had another car break-in since he was put in jail.”  Hobbs again emphasized the APD’s “Clean Car Campaign” designed to makepeople aware to clean their cars of items that entice criminals--such as laptopcomputers, briefcases, purses and GPS systems—and are “left in plain view whilethey leave cars in parking lots.”

Additionally, he said catalytic convertors areoften stolen out of “large trucks they can get under easily or Element-typevehicles.”
Hobbs turned the floor over to Zone 2 Criminal Investigations Unit Sgt.Scott Ormond to discuss one of the recent successful arrests of a careercriminal thatis responsible for recent burglaries at Frank Ski’s restaurant on PeachtreeRoad in Buckhea and has confessed to numerous similar crimes in the area aswell.
The suspect was caught on video surveillance at Frank Ski’srestaurant and prints were lifted at another recent burglary at a Jersey Mike’ssandwich shop at 391 14th St. in Zone 5, which allowed police to get a name ofthe individual, have a warrant issued and ultimately allowing them to make anarrest.

Zone 2 Community Prosecutor
Tiffany Harlow

Although the arrest was actually made in Zone 5, Ormond said the man wasa commercial and residential burglar who worked both Zone 2 and Zone 5.According to Ormond, the man has confessed to “eight and counting” offenses.  

Zone 2 Community Prosecutor Tiffany Harlow, whois assigned to Buckhead by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, said careercriminals are still roaming the streets for a few reasons. “We’ve had a problemwith judges being really lenient,” Harlow said at the meeting. “Our guidelineshave been pumped up.”

She said it also makes it easier for criminalsto get off when victims do not show up to the court hearing, which happensoften. “It’s imperative the victims show and are given the opportunity tospeak,” Harlow said.

Harlow spoke about the importance ofparticipation in the Citizens' Court Watch program, which was created as a wayto include citizens in the criminal justice system.

NPU-B chair Sally Silver said it is just asimportant for the general public to show up during court proceedings to let thejudges know about the public’s concern about crime. “You may not be a victimthis time," Silver said, "but you may be next on the list."


Signsfor safe shopping

Sign by the Chase Bank at The Peach Shopping Center.

Signs like the one inthe photo are posted at points around The Peach Shopping Center, at 2900Peachtree Road in Buckhead, to help shoppers with pointers for making theirshopping a little bit safer. Here is the message to shoppers:
 “Shop Safe. Say and Do Something.
SAY: If you seesomething, Call 911,
DO: Every Visit:Be aware of yoursurroundings at all timesAlways keep your keys inyour handAvoid talking on yourcell phoneBe sure to lock your cardoorsKeep packages andvaluables out of sight
This property isprotected by Atlanta Police Officers. Violators will be prosecuted. A serviceof Accion Security."