Dozens of University of Georgia students returned from the holiday break to find out they were the victims of burglaries, police said.
Athens police told Channel 2 Action News the department has received 30 to 35 reports of burglaries or break-ins between Dec. 14, 2018, and Jan. 6, 2019, which is when classes weren’t in session.
Athens police spokesman Geoffrey Gilland told Channel 2 that the thieves usually broke into apartments and homes by breaking in a window or kicking in a door.
“They’re opportunistic,” Gilland said. “They work in teams. They move quickly, and once they’re in there, they get what they want and move on.”
He recommended student take their valuables home with them when they leave for Christmas and the holidays.
Gilland said grade school resource officers are assigned to patrol areas with off-campus housing during breaks, but he said security cameras and alarms pay off and lessen the chance of a successful burglary.
Student Drew Rathburn told the news station thieves broke into his Athens home, stealing two Xboxes, a TV and multiple backpacks.
“That’s $1,000 down the drain,” he said.
Anyone with information on a burglary over this time period is asked to contact Athens police at 706-705-4775.
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