Opportunistic criminals take advantage of holiday season around metro area

Johnnie Maccracken’s, a pub on the Square, also was burglarized at about the same time. Undeterred, the popular spot advertised a “smash burger” on the Friday menu and offered to help other businesses that might have been hit with emergency repairs.

“The best revenge against adversity is to put your boots on and go back at it,” the pub said in a social media post. “Merry Christmas from your friendly neighborhood Public House.”

In Atlanta, publicly available crime data shows a 10% increase in burglaries in the four weeks ending Dec. 15 in comparison to the previous four weeks, and burglaries are up 9% for the year. The recent trend outpaces the numbers for property crime overall, which is up 2% for the year, and violent crime, which is down 6% despite a slight increase in homicides.

But during the holidays, numbers don’t capture the impact of property crimes like burglary and vandalism, which often affect wider communities beyond the initial victim. While some families could miss out on Christmas pie, others might lose the opportunity to give any gifts at all.

The unfortunate poster child for Grinch-like burglary victims has become the Empty Stocking Fund, an Atlanta nonprofit that has seen tens of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise stolen for the second year in a row.

The Empty Stocking Fund distributes gifts to about 30,000 disadvantaged children each year by allowing the kids and their families to “shop” at their warehouse, choosing items they actually want. Their 24,000-square-foot facility in southwest Atlanta’s Pittsburgh neighborhood has become a target for a brazen and persistent burglar who has repeatedly broken into the building.

In 2021, the man bypassed the security systems by sledgehammering his way through a concrete block wall at the back of the building, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Because no one was alerted about the intrusion, the burglar was able to take his time and steal more than $50,000 worth of merchandise, mostly orders packed by volunteers and destined for families in need.

This year, a man who is believed to be the same thief has repeatedly broken into the warehouse through a variety of entry points. The Empty Stocking Fund has lost about $10,000 worth of merchandise, the AJC reported, but other costs have mounted as the organization has continued to make repairs and security improvements, in addition to hiring more security guards.

The Northeast Atlanta Ballet Ensemble is another organization facing an expensive challenge after it was targeted by thieves. Props, set pieces and furniture used in the group’s annual production of the Nutcracker and worth about $20,000 were stolen from two trailers in the organization’s parking lot, Channel 2 Action News reported.

The thieves broke into one trailer and hooked the other up to a white pickup truck, which then towed it away, Channel 2 reported. The second trailer was found ransacked in Duluth.

“A lot of it has sentimental value. Some of it is really irreplaceable,” the president of the board for the ensemble, Marsha Byokawski, told Channel 2.

Many of the props had been used for years during annual performances at Gas South Arena, the news station reported. Most of the items will need need to be replaced.

Cynical criminals are not localized to the metro area. On Tybee Island, thieves stole much of the nativity scene from outside a Catholic church. On Saturday, a lock on the manger scene outside St. Michael Catholic Church was broken and several statues were taken.

“We know that many in our community are shocked and disgusted over the theft of nativity scene pieces from St. Michael Catholic Church,” police said. “We’re equally disappointed that someone would steal from one of our local houses of worship, especially during the holidays.”

In the classic holiday tales, Scrooge and the Grinch were transformed when they saw how people they disdained turned to one another for support, revealing the true spirit of Christmas. These challenging moments around metro Atlanta have also shown how communities rally to help the people and organizations they love.

In two days, a GoFundMe page created on behalf of the Northeast Atlanta Ballet Ensemble has raised nearly $8,000 for new props, sets and backdrops. Volunteers helped recover items scattered in the mud around the damaged trailer in Duluth.

The Empty Stocking Fund has posted a series of updates about hundreds of volunteers who have packed orders for underprivileged children during the past two weeks.

Credit: Jeremy Redmon

Credit: Jeremy Redmon

Lauren Bolden, Pie Bar’s owner, was gratified by the outpouring of support from her customers, many of whom shared their sympathy on social media.

”We are really fortunate to be a part of a community that is so supportive of small businesses,” she said Friday. “We are grateful that any time anything good or bad happens that people are willing to rally around and kind of help lift you up with whatever they can do.”

— Staff writer Jeremy Redmon contributed to this article.