Residents React to More Car Break-Ins

Neighborhoods around Idlewood Road in Tucker, between Fellowship Road and Ponce De Leon Avenue, have lately been the target of thieves who break into cars at night, and residents are getting tired of it. 

A local email list called ICON, run by Drayton Woods* resident Jan Mixon, has numerous comments from people whose possessions have been stolen. "Cars are still being rummaged through in our area. It appears they are hitting all of the subdivisions around here," she said. "They have even gotten so brazen that they are now entering vehicles at homes on Idlewood Road."

Electronic devices appear to be the thieves' favored item. Jeff Kilpatrick, who lives in Idlewood Acres West, said: "They opened my truck and van doors and stole two GPS units." 

"Our car was rummaged through last night and they took our GPS, money, and cell phone chargers," said Barry Murphy, another Idlewood Acres West resident.

Matt Christian, who lives on Hideaway Drive, has a novel solution to the problem: "Maybe we can get a little payback," he said on ICON. "What if everyone put a broken electronics item, doesn't matter what it is, in their cars with the windows unlocked? Old cameras, Walkmen, boom boxes, etc... These guys are strictly 'grab and go' types, if they find one item, looks like they're happy."

He added that thieves took an iPod from his car but left behind a set of golf clubs. "Heh, joke is on them. That iPod hasn't worked for five years..."

One of the Idlewood Road victims is Angel Whitworth. "They did get my GPS (that I NEVER leave in there). Whoever did it is pretty bold. My car is right in front of my bedroom window and my motion light most likely turned on," she said.

Another resident said: "The thieves have struck on Camelot Circle. Last night my neighbors...had their cars rifled and had a GPS and camera stolen along with various electronic cables to devices used in the car. What is most upsetting is that the thieves have the addresses of all of their contacts in the GPS."

Mixon has asked Officer Claire Henry, the neighborhood liaison at the , to provide additional police patrols. "We really appreciate the DeKalb County Police stepping up their late night/early morning patrols in our area. Hopefully they will catch these thieves and arrest them," she said. 

A Drayton Woods resident by the name of Adelaide has some advice: "Anyone of us who is out late at night must keep a sharp eye open for cars in our neighborhoods that are unfamiliar and call the police."

Have you been the victim of a crime in Tucker? Tell us in the comments below-

*Tucker Patch's editor lives in the Drayton Woods subdivision.