Dozens of north DeKalb residents concerned their communities have become targets for criminals packed out a town hall meeting onThursday night.
DeKalb Police leaders confirmed that property crimes were on the rise in some neighborhoods, although overall crime rates are stable or down. Comparing April to August 2017 with the same period this year, statistics showed that more cars were broken into in Sagamore Hills and residential burglaries increased in North Briarcliff for example.
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One man who may be partially responsible for the rash of crimes was arrested earlier this week. Police said there were also warrants for his arrest in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Jefferson County, Ala.
“He’s probably not going to get out of jail for a long time,” North Central Precinct Commander N.A. Rutland said.
The town hall held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church also included tips about keeping homes and cars secure and reporting incidents to police. Officers also told the audience that responding to alarm calls that turned out to be false were sucking resources.
Attendees expressed frustration with police response times and noted the county’s struggle to recruit enough officers. They also requested more patrols and for officers to be more visible in neighborhoods.
Visit DeKalb Police's crime mapping tool for a look at crime statistics in the county.
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