Virginia-Highland Crime and Safety Report

The following report was sent to Virginia-Highland residents by John Wolfinger, Virginia-Highland Civic Association public safety chair, on Wednesday, July 27.

Citizen's Police Academy  

If you have ever really wanted to know what all goes on in APD every day - this is your chance to find out first-hand.  The next Citizen's Police Academy session starts 8/17/2011, and is a fantastic experience for we citizens to experience some of what an APD recruit goes through to become a sworn officer.  I am a graduate of Class 15 and can recommend this as a way to understand what all our men and women of APD have to know in their efforts to protect us.  The attached flyer gives a good overview of the classes and when you have filled out your completed application - send an e-mail to or call Sergeant Chad Hannula at 404--546-7511 or channula@atlantaga.gov to arrange for the forms to be picked up from your residence or place of employment.  

Detective Pat Apoian  

I am sure that by now you have seen the news reports about how our own Zone 6 Detective Apoian was cruelly run over by a vehicle on 7/21/2011.  The story at the AJC website. Apoian is also the founder of Humble Heros - dedicated to helping public safety folks who have been injured or who have illnesses.    He now needs our thoughts and prayers as he faces the ordeal of healing at Grady Hospital and, eventually, at his home.   There is a Facebook page set up at "Support Officer Pat" so you can see his progress reports, learn of fund-raising events and how to donate money directly.

Atlanta's Finest 5K Race

For those of you who are runners - there is an excellent way coming up to support the work of the Atlanta Police Foundation on Saturday 8/6/2011   Details can be found on the Active.com website.    The mission of the Police Foundation is at   http://www.atlantapolicefoundation.org/.

Pedestrians and Cell Phones

Visible cell phones on pedestrians seem to be a real magnet for thieves - every week there seems to be reports of pedestrians being accosted and having their cell phones taken.  In the last 2 reports I got from Zone 6, there were two such incidents - both occurring on North Highland Avenue in Inman Park (one in daylight and one at night time).  The daytime victim was asked by the suspect if he could borrow her phone and then fled with the phone.  The night time incident, the suspect showed a gun and asked for the victim's purse and phone - the victim resisted and the perp fled without her phone.

I see lots of VaHi parents pushing baby buggies while talking on the phone at the same time - these people cannot be aware of their surroundings while carrying on a conversation and are setting themselves up to lose their phones.

The following reports are gleaned from our Zone 6 crime stats for the weeks of 28 and 29 of 2011, with emphasis on our Beat # 603, but with news from around the Zone as it applies to us.  Again - I state that these reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you aware of what happens all around us everyday.

Aggravated Assault  -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

Auto Theft  -  Vehicles were stolen from Amsterdam Walk, St. Charles Avenue (2) and a failed attempt on Greenwood Avenue that left a damaged steering column.

Auto Theft Recovery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

Residential Burglary  -  Residences were entered on Monroe Drive via an unlocked door (the door had been left unlocked for a household member who did not have a key), PDL Avenue via a broken rear door window (sounds like there was not a deadbolt lock), Brookridge Drive via a basement window (the owners were upstairs asleep).  All around the Zone in this time period 7 residences were entered via a kicked-in door and 4 were entered via unlocked doors.

Commercial Burglary  -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

Residential Robbery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

Commercial Robbery -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

Larceny From Vehicle  -  Vehicles were violated on Greenwood Avenue, and 3 on St. Charles Avenue - including one incident of a stolen license plate where the victim who was selling the vehicle on Craigslist had a price dispute with a potential buyer - someone left a message on the seller's phone that he had the plate.  No word as to whether the call could be traced.  All around the Zone in this time period there were 4 GPS systems stolen, 2 laptops taken, 4 license plates taken off and 3 more weapons added to the arsenal already on the streets.

Larceny Other  -  A chained and locked bicycle was stolen from a North Highland Avenue parking lot.

Around the Zone, the Edgewood Target store caught 4 more shoplifters, and there were SEVEN reports of a/c thefts, presumably for the copper parts.  At a L5P clothing store, an employees purse was stolen from near the cash register when a "customer" asked for a pair of pants in a size that was not on the floor and the employee went to the stockroom to look for the requested size.  We have lots of VaHi stores also that often only have one person on duty - do NOT leave personal wallets, purses, etc out in view!

Pedestrian Robbery  -  No reported incidents in Beat 603

But, nearby at the Chevron station at PDL Avenue at Moreland Avenue at 3 a.m. - the male victim stated the male suspect asked for a ride and he agreed.  When the suspect asked to be taken to a drug house, the victim refused, then the suspect tried to take the victim's wallet and a fight ensued - the victim was stabbed in the back, but nothing was taken as the suspect fled.  In Inman Park on Austin Avenue at 3:30 a.m. two females were robbed at gunpoint of their purses by 2 males.

Keep that cell phone hidden while walking to avoid becoming a phone theft victim!

John