Author: Jesse Thompson

Provided by Crime Awareness Unit of the DeKalb Police Department
25 September 2009

“Burglaries”

There have been an increase in the number of Burglary incidents reported. A
number of these incidents were storage sheds or utility rooms/closets as the
target. The Detectives are diligently working on each incident reported and
would like to suggest the following:
1) Verify that the locking mechanism used on the storage shed or utility room is in good working condition and the doors with “play” or are loose when locks are engaged should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible
2) Advise trusted neighbors of your work schedule, so when a vehicle and/or persons are seen at your home when you are away, they will call 911 to report it
3) Ensure that window & door frames are sturdy; check for dry rot on older doors and windows
4) Do not make it obvious that no one is inside the residence; use timers on lights and televisions
5) If a Suspicious Person or Vehicle is seen, dial 911 immediately for an officer to respond
6) Evaluate the security measures installed in your individual home for effective performance (alarm systems, locks, window security, etc.)

Ways to possibly avoid becoming a victim:
• Secure your home to the best of your ability; do not leave doors or windows open or unlocked when not at the residence
• Lock your vehicle parked in your driveway or under carport at all times
• Use outside lighting to increase the visibility around your home by installing outdoor lighting, such as motion sensor lights
• Call 911 for any suspicious persons or vehicles in your community
• Communicate with your neighbors on any suspicious activity seen

*** Remember if you don’t inform the Police,
the Police don’t know what’s happening in your neighborhood. ***

Dear Residents,

I wanted to updated you that crime has been increasing in our area. Below is an update from Officer Miller. Also i want to make you aware of the countywide crime website.

http://www.crimemapping.com/map/ga/dekalbcounty

Once you are on the site, you can type in a specific address at the top of the page; zoom in and out on the map to see the entire county or just our neighborhood; sort by range of dates; or click on individual reports to see types of crime. The information on this site reflects how the initial 911 call was reported. In some cases, the report may be changed to a different category or removed all together depending on the on-going or final outcome of investigation by police.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep Woodland Hills safe by not hesitating to call 911.

From Officer Miller:

There has been an increase in burglaries in the Lavista Park, Sagamore Hills, Merry Ln, Melinda Dr, Biltmore areas and there have been numerous arrests. We have made over 10 burglary arrests since June but the burglaries have not slowed down.

We are working hard with detective on any leads we can get on cases. Any time a neighbor can call in a suspicous vehicle/ person that is great. We are currently having a big issue with storage sheds being broken into, and CID have warrants out on a possible suspect. That's not to say there are several suspects breaking into storage sheds.

Sincerely,

Brad Grulke
Woodland Hills Neighborhood Association