Add It Up: Atlanta’s burglary habit
June 20, 2009 at 9:14 am by Thomas Wheatley in Add it upNumber of reported burglaries, larcenies and automobile thefts in Atlanta in 2008: 38,978
Percentage increase in Atlanta property crimes in 2008, compared to the previous year: 7.6
Percentage that property crime decreased across the country in 2008: 1.6
Number of times a Poncey-Highland gym was broken into in the first weeks of June: 5
Number of intown bars hit in one night in May by thieves apparently looking for flat-screen TVs: 4
Number of times a Midtown clothing boutique was hit by “smash-and-grab” burglars in May: 2
Total number of burglaries, larcenies and thefts that occurred in Atlanta during the first three months of 2009 (most recent statistics): 7,980
Number of same crimes that occurred during the first three months of 2008: 8,804
Atlanta’s rank in a disputed survey of the nation’s most dangerous cities: 2
Sources: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Police Department, FBI Annual Crime Statistics, Real Clear Politics
June 20th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
So, burglaries, larcenies, thefts were actually DOWN 9.3% in the first three months of 2009.
Maybe we are dealing with a situation where the criminals have decided to specifically target higher-profile locations (repeatedly) in Zones 5 and 6, zones where the populace is much more likely to care and be vocal about things.
June 20th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
OR a defeated populace has stopped reporting property crimes.
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
amen, Mr. T. unless these statistics have been adjusted to include the number of unreported thefts, the number of actual crime is probably higher.
My car has been violated 4 times in the last 2 years in both midtown and grant park (actually 5 times, if you count the time my license plate was stolen). one of those times I dialed the police as I was watching the juvenile delinquents jimmy the passenger door. I ended up scaring the kids off myself by unleashing my inner faggot because the police weren’t going to arrive in time to save my car. I eventually gave up waiting for the police to arrive after waiting for 45 minutes to file a report.
I don’t understand why 3 cop cars can always show up in a matter of seconds if you get pulled over for speeding, but when someone calls to report a theft, it seems to take a minimum of 45 minutes to an hour! wtf?
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
@ skeptical:
I’m with you. My car was stolen not far from the King MARTA stop. I sat under a tree, in the rain, and waited more than 40 minutes for one of Atlanta’s finest to arrive. That crime remains unsolved.
Want me to tell you about an APD detective’s treatment of the break-in at our house? She wouldn’t even call my wife back. That crime, believe it or not, remains unsolved.
Then there was the time the gun got shoved in my ribs. The crime remains unsolved.
Earlier this year, I was sideswiped on Memorial Drive. The driver of the other car, who was at fault, took off toward downtown. A guy pulled over and offered to be a witness if this accident ever came to trial. I assured him I would not need his help, as I was not bothering to call the cops. Given their response to car theft and home break-ins, why bother?