Home Invasion Victim Believes Suspects Planned for Weeks: Report

The author and Buckhead woman who narrowly escaped from a home invasion over the weekend believes her house had been scouted for weeks by the suspects, according to a report.

Danielle Rollins has been reviewing her home security camera footage leading up to the Dec. 26 incident and tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she’s spotted suspicious vehicles which may have been “casing” her home.

Rollins wrote on Facebook that she was at her home at approximately 9:10 p.m. Saturday when she noticed her security cameras had stopped working and heard someone try to open her back door. She reportedly heard voices and asked her mother to help her search the home. Shortly afterwards, Rollins says, her alarm system activated.

An armed security guard employed by Rollins chased two suspects, one black and one white, through a neighbors’ yard, Rollins wrote on Facebook. The guard told Rollins he suspected the two invaders entered her property through a vacant lot then jumped her neighbors’ fence after he started chasing them.

Home invasions have become a troubling trend in Buckhead this year. Read more Patch coverage of similar incidents:

• Indictment: Home Invasions Pulled Off By Memphis Gang
• Buckhead Home Invader Dressed as GA Power Worker: Police
• Buckhead Home Invaders Strike Again

Atlanta police responded to the area and set up an extensive dragnet including air support and K9 units, but were not able to locate the suspects. According to an incident report, officers recovered a blue bag which contained a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol, duct tape, mace, rubber gloves, binoculars, and particulate respirators.

Rollins said on Facebook that this was the fourth break-in at her home, including an incident three weeks ago which prompted her to hire the security guard. She is now hopeful that the city will allow her to build a fence taller than four feet to keep would-be criminals away.

Rollins is the author of “Soirée: Entertaining with Style” and was recently ranked one of the 100 best party hosts in America, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.