View from the cop: Crime & punishment
View from the Cop is moving to a new site on Wordpress. Blogger Steve Rose of the Sandy Springs Police Department gives his take on crime, offers safety tips and give his weekly picks from the police blotter. Follow Steve Rose to the new blog site.
AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > May > 01 > Entry
Skepticism, info & dead bolts required
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here is an e-mail I received Monday:
“One of our neighbors has been ripped off by a man driving a blue Ford F150 pickup truck probably 2000 or older. He saw her car in her driveway with a dent along the door and said he could fix it for her for $. He was there last evening and this morning. Did a crappy (sorry) job, bumps where he drilled holes to pull dents out, paint did not match and she said she wouldn’t pay him for the job, as it was shoddy. He had an Italian accent with Brooklyn accent thrown in, named Geno, or so he said. He started yelling at her. Fortunately her painters showed up to work Monday morning and told him to calm down. She paid him only half the money, but is obviously scared that he might come back.”
We had a complaint recently that several persons were going around dinging in doors and then offering to fix them. Several of the complaints pointed the finger at gypsies who have been reported as the perps in this scam in other areas. As with anything else, don’t have professional work done by anyone other than reputable businesses via Yellow Pages, Internet or other means of verification.
Be skeptical of walk-up business opportunities
REWARD OFFERED
Many of you are aware of the deceased newborn child found on Applegate Lane off of Long Beach Circle earlier this year. Unfortunately we still have no information as to the mother or the child or anyone who may know some information about it. Sandy Springs Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information.
HARDWARE SECURITY
For those of you with basements, here is something to think about. We have had several burglaries where the point of entry was a basement window or door. The bad guys never got into the main part of the home because the door leading from the basement to the main area was a solid wood door with a DEADBOLT. This is a great idea partially because the angle of the stairs makes it hard to put anything behind a good kick.
Your back basement door should be a metal door with a deadbolt of two inches. Metal doors look like wood doors and it’s in the back of the house so it should lessen the shock of those cosmetically sensitive of such things.
AND….
Thefts from cars can only happen if there is something in the car to steal. Thieves are not breaking into empty cars.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Kat
May 1, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the reminders, Steve. I drive a Jeep…everything inside highly visible, no trunk…I think of you fondly when I have errands to run on my way home from work and find myself lugging my laptop around the grocery store!
By Kat
May 1, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the reminders, Steve. I drive a Jeep…everything inside highly visible, no trunk…I think of you fondly when I have errands to run on my way home from work and find myself lugging my laptop around the grocery store!
By Jackson
May 1, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this
Oddly enough, this very “drive-by repair offer” in a similar-sounding truck asked me and my wife on at least 10 occasions in 2006-2007 whether we wanted him to repair the dings in my car.
This was at both the Kroger, Chevron station, and Publix at Johnson Ferry and Ashford-Dunwoody, which seems to be an informal “territory” they often drive around. Usually the guy has a couple of older teens with him in the cab.
We’ve since moved to Chicago, but we hope this information helps in some way. It became a game to see who could come up with the better “out-there” excuse to get the guy(s) to leave us alone.
By J R
May 2, 2007 6:25 AM | Link to this
LT
I may be a great time to remind folks of the other gypsie scams for this time of year. Recoat your asphalt drive using 1 part sealer and 5 parts water that will last untill the first rain. Fix your roof for a nominal fee and then find thousands of dollars of “hidden damage” and try to put the fear of collapse of your house and even dogs and cats getting along if you do not let them fix it now.
It’s that time of the season folks. Beware. Like the LT says, CHECK THEM OUT BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE”.
By mary
May 2, 2007 7:46 AM | Link to this
Please also be aware that when a basement has a bedroom that the code requires that there be an exit/rescue window or door that can be opened without any special tool or knowledge. There are security systems that also comply with this part of the building code. I’d hate to see anyone get caught in a fire and not be able to get out or the fire department get in because of incorrect protection from burglars.