Thieves break into 100+ cars in Inman Park, including police car, police say
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Atlanta police said more than 100 cars were broken into overnight in Inman Park, including an Atlanta police car.
Police responded to the area near Mariposa Lofts at 185 Montag Cir. NE around 7 a.m. Saturday and found that more than 100 cars had been broken into, “including an Atlanta Police patrol vehicle.” Police said that at least two guns were stolen from the cars. Neither of the guns was stolen from the police car, but the police didn’t say if anything else was stolen from it. One resident said $80 was stolen from his car.
“They busted out three windows and stole some cash and a pair of pants,” said Luke Hendershott. “I had all my drum equipment in there which is the scary part but they didn’t take any of that luckily,” he said.
Some residents at the apartment complex said this is the latest in a series of issues. They told Atlanta News First their garage gate has broken for months.
Resident Michelle Vogel said, “We’ve had the gate to our garage which has been broken for months. Months and months and we’ve been filing complaints with management here to try to get it fixed. And they keep saying the parts coming in. It’ll be fixed and then it hasn’t gotten fixed,” Vogel said. “So, as a result of that we ask that they do something to provide more security in the apartment complex,” she said.
Vogel said she was parked on the street near the Beltline.
“It was just the front enger window was broken and there was glass everywhere. The glove compartment was open, and so it looked like it had been searched, but I don’t keep anything special in there. So, nothing was taken,” she said.
Vogel said this entire ordeal makes her want to move.
“I want to move. I want to move units if I can or move to a different complex because I just don’t feel safe,” Vogel said. “There have been smaller incidents of people having their bikes stolen, cars broken into as well, just not this scale,” she said.
“I would like to see the apartment complex or the management company or whoever it is, come in and offer compensation to residents and not just in the form of paying for what was damaged but also, looking at all the times that we all have spent feeling unsafe and trying to do something about it and not being heard to the point where something like this could happen,” Vogel said.
Atlanta News First spoke to staff at Mariposa Lofts about the concerns off-camera. We’re still waiting on a response from the corporate office.
Atlanta police advise against keeping valuables in your car. As part of their “Clear Car Campaign,” Atlanta police shared some of the varied valuables stolen from cars in 2023, including a Rolex, $10,000 and dental implants.
The Atlanta Police Department has not confirmed the exact locations of all of the cars vandalized. They said the reports are still being processed.
Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.
