From DPD’s Sgt. Jennifer Ross…
On 3-30-14 at approximately 3:46 pm, Decatur Police responded to an armed robbery that occurred in the 100 block of Sycamore Place. The victim reported she was in the parking lot organizing items in her vehicle when she was approached from behind by a male who demanded money. The victim handed over the money she had on her and the male then reached into her vehicle and began going through items and took a bag that contained a small amount of money. The victim observed the suspect holding a small black-handled kitchen paring style knife in his right hand. The suspect ordered the victim to walk away while he was going through items in her vehicle. The suspect then threw the victim’s keys over a fence and ran west on East Howard Avenue. The victim was not injured.
The suspect was described as a black male, dark complexion, approximately 6’0, slender build, wearing dark clothing and a gray knit cap.
3:46 on a Sunday afternoon? Starting to not feel safe here in Decatur anymore.
So that’s over near Fellini’s?
We’re not safe in Decatur. It’s time for the citizenry to stand up and take some action on this. We’re not even a month into the warm weather and these lowlifes are already preying on us.
Organizing a car in a parking lot is probably not a good idea, but goes to show how quickly these guys will pounce when they see someone distracted or vulnerable. They must be like cockroaches: everywhere.
My family is moving out this year. So good luck with all of this, Decatur. Had enough high taxes and excuses as to why we can’t expect safety in our community. All I want now is my home value to hold out long enough to sell. We’ve given up and we refuse to let our kids become victims.
The community needs to seriously consider petitioning the police and mayor’s offices to re-prioritize its patrol plan and staffing. Even if it means higher taxes. Oakhurst needs to bring in off-duty paid police patrols in the village if the city police are not able to increase presence with resources available. This is not an unsolveable problem. It just requires intense police activity and community involvement.
And involvement from the community is going to require more money more than likely. That’s something that I think Decatur would be willing to stomach if results were visible.
No doubt an incident like this one is disturbing. I definitely support more visible patrolling by Decatur PD. Money should be spent on additional law enforcement staff it that is deemed necessary. I would pay higher taxes for this although I wonder if money can be found in other areas of our budget. If we need more police officers maybe we need less paid staff handling festivals, social media, special events, tourism and publications, etc.
That said, SoLong, where exactly do you plan to go where there will be so much less crime? I hear of similar issues in cities all around the country.
“And involvement from the community is going to require more money more than likely.”
No, really it just requires each neighborhood’s willingness to contribute time and effort. Community policing on the residents’ part means finding enough neighbors willing to actively pitch in as Neighborhood Watch block captains. The block captains then take the initiative to get their neighbors involved so that everyone’s watching out for one another and sharing and receiving alerts/ concerns. And that especially means reaching out and connecting the neighbors without internet. Not only do they need the same info, but they need a way to channel the info they can provide– and believe me, they’re usually the most attuned to what’s going on.
Unfortunately, folks all too often opt to leave it for someone else to do and then are left wondering why they don’t feel safe in their community. Blaming DPD is easy but silly. DPD jumps on every opportunity to support any and all efforts at the neighborhood level. Want to start a Watch? DPD will help get you started (and I’d be glad to help too). Want to have DPD provide updates at a neighborhood meeting? DPD will be there with the latest info. Want to hold a special program, meeting or event? DPD is in all the way.
So says the person who is “moving out this year.”
This, SoLong, is not true. We are as safe in Decatur as just about anywhere in a southern urban area. It’s true. Look it up. We are not as safe from crime as living in a cow pasture. That is true. So long.
Cow pasture denizens may have us beat when it comes to street crime, but our dysentery stats blow theirs away.
Cow pastures aren’t so innocent either. I once dated a guy who refused to eat mushrooms because he’d partaken in some that were harvested off of cow patties and had a bad experience. (Yep. Sure sign he wasn’t a keeper…)
SoLong, I just wanted to note that I’m a good friend of the victim in this case, and the details aren’t clearly stated in the report, but she was parked in the lot of the apartment complex where she lives, and was organizing a few items in her car. Unfortunately, there was nowhere else to organize.
Thank you, SoLong, and everyone else, for your support. I know she appreciates it.
Ok, you are right, crime is everywhere. But what worries us is that these violent crimes seem to be happening with impunity. Broad daylight in populated areas. Last Friday’s report out of Oakhurst Village is particularly troubling. DPD is as responsive as you can expect, but the community needs to organize its own patrol if they are not able to secure areas where people congregate. They cannot be everywhere at all times. Grant Park, Druid Hills and even Old Fourth Ward have all done this.
I’ve enjoyed Decatur for more than 15 years. Started and grown two businesses here. Been here through good and bad. But haven’t seen anything like the last 3 years, especially in Oakhurst. And maybe we’re more sensitive now since we have kids. Gun shots coming out of Kirkwood aren’t as charming as they used to be.
Unless I’m missing something, the crime stats show a decline over the last 12 years but an increase over the last 3. Statistically we might be comparably safe, but I would find stats to be of very little comfort while being held up.
Addressing this problem, in my opinion is the last missing piece in making Decatur as good as it can be.
The only crime I’ve actually seen in a decade here is when it’s reported on the internet. None of my many close friends, who have also lived here for a decade or more, have experienced much crime, certainly none violent. Maybe I’m just lucky.
Further, my expectations for living at the heart of the 9th largest metro area in the nation are that I may have to deal with some crime from time to time. So I don’t get too disappointed when I hear about crime from time to time.
And finally, while the facts tell me crime has gone down since I moved here, I hear about it much more. So I say to myself, maybe it’s more about the ubiquitous internet information overload than it is a disturbing crime wave.
But then again, I’m naive.
Interesting. We’ve been here as long as you, and we now also have kids. So, while we have some similarities, our perspectives our different. I have never felt safer in Decatur than I do now.
I’m also curious about your destination and its lower crime rate.
So where is this special place you are moving to that doesn’t ever have any crime?
Crime is everywhere. Unfortunately no neighborhood patrol or police officer can ever be at all places at once.
I’ve seen DPD patrols of increasing number roll through Oakhurst at all hours of the day. They seem to be doing the best they can.
SoLong, I’ve been here a long time too and we agree with you except that throwing more money will help with crime. 24/7 patrolling will help, but the real problem is so deeply rooted in cultural attitudes and mentality that, until this is changed – which it won’t- it will continue. We too are outta here and the great place we are going is not only a city and is larger, more cultural, beautiful, and liveable than Decatur – it’s also dramatically lower in crime. Imagine that- it IS possible to find somewhere better and safer than East Atlanta! Shocking. Anyhow, I wish you well where you are going. It is no one’s business where you are going – just enjoy the adventure!
I hope your gated community and exclusive private schools get your kids ready for the real world!
Yeah, b/c kids attending exclusive private schools rarely succeed…
But sometimes without an appreciation for anyone who doesn’t look or act like them.
Well fortunately for the rest of us that only happens at exclusive private schools. Clearly the criminals committing these armed robberies and break ins have a great deal of respect and appreciation for their victims.
Bulldogs are silly creatures. They don’t even have tusks!
BullD: This is the kind of stuck up Decaturite talk that makes me cringe. Decatur is nice, but it is not perfect. Sent my kids to private schools because CSD was not getting the job done. The private schools did and my kids are able to make their way through the real world without having graduated from DHS.
I’m pretty sure you are moving to Portland, Oregon or Burlington, Vermont. If not, you’ve been sold a bill of goods.
Omelas?
Oh, I love/hate that spooky story. A cautionary tale, indeed.
+1. Just googled it. It’s worse than an ear worm.
Oh I know a plug for East Point when I read one…
I must chime in here. If anyone moved to this town because they thought it was going to be
a little bit of Vermont, they must be living a fantasy. I say good riddance. Maybe someone
will move in that would rather work towards a safer community, rather than criticize and walk away.
That’s what the suburbs are for. This is what Decatur really stands for: A place where people are willing to work beyond their own limited self interest for the sake of community. At least, that’s why I moved here.
Well gee, we’re kind of green and organic like Vermont. Of course we’re a little light on snow, mountains, maple syrup, lakes, rivers, mills, small farms, cows, Ben & Jerry’s, plaid flannel shirts, Sorel boots, and Fair Isle sweaters.
Why knock the burbs in order to stand up for our opting to live in City of Decatur? Or assume that the reason is to escape from folks? It’s just a different choice for what fits one’s lifestyle best.
Yeah, I was a little surprised that Bulldog and tom chose to mock/insult those choosing to move to a place where they feel their family is safer. Regardless of whether you agree with their perceptions about whether Decatur is safe or whether the grass is greener at their (undisclosed) destintations, that decision (and motivation behind it) seems like a pretty easy one to respect. And both made a whole lot of assumptions about why people moved here in the first place and where they are headed now.
Thanks for indirectly addressing my comment. Next time it would be best to just respond to me rather than take the passive aggressive approach.
Truth be told, SoLong started this whole thing by attacking my city. I’m not going to sit here and let somebody bad mouth Decatur just because they don’t feel safe.
SoLong can move. I really don’t care. But he/she doesn’t need to take parting shots on the way out. Not classy. And neither was your comment to me.
So I’ll just say this and be done: so long, SoLong.
I’m not taking parting shots Bulldog. Nor am I attackling Decatur. Like I said, I’ve owned businesses here and started a family. I like Decatur and it’s been good to me. I want it to be a better place. I am disappointed at these reports of violent crimes happening in my neighborhood. I am not willing to whitewash this news with platitudes about living in the big city and statistically I’m not likely to get robbed. Nonsense. This town should strive for zero armed robberies in the places where our kids play and we sleep at night.
But what I am is willing to do is put my money where my mouth is. Are you?
How about this for a passive aggressive approach: Let’s get an off-duty patrol set up for Oakhurst Village. Get the restaurant owners involved, private citizens, police, everyone. I’ll personally match every financial contribution to it up to $50,000.
DecaturMetro, you have my contact information. Be in touch and let’s get on the road to a solution.
Down boy, down! Godzilla attacks cities, not SoLong.
You and I read those posts differently I guess. You viewed it as an attack. I viewed it as an articulation of thier perception about crime in the city.
+1
In a documentary on the 92 Dream Team in Barcelona all the players were warned to stay off the streets at night. It wouldn’t be safe, they’d be targets. Stay in the hotel and/or go golf they were told.
One player ignored that advice, Charles Barkley. He was hitting Las Ramplas at night with everybody else. He was portrayed to be the most popular Olympian in Barcelona.
Shortly after watching that piece I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Barkley. I told him how I appreciated him going out at night being among the throngs of Olympians, visitors, and residents.
“Can’t live in fear”, he said.
“Can’t live in fear”, I said,
He then shook my hand and my hand disappeared for a couple of seconds.
p.s., Bulldog: While my children were attending Decatur schools I observed that Decatur kids tended to eat lunch and hang out with kids who “looked and acted” like they did. Also, my children became friends with a much broader of range peers (race, cultures, religions, etc.) at their private schools than they did here.
You mean your kids grew to be normal and socially well-adjusted? Like most kids, in or out of private schools?
It’s always amusing when this Decurite echelon talk gets going around crime reports. The posters never seem to want to settle on either classist or racist arguments, they verbally dance around until someone eventually invites them to move away or calls them Nazis.
“…until someone eventually invites them to move away or calls them Nazis.”
Nailed it.
I hope that the families who move away over safety fears are the same ones who drive their kids to school every day 🙂
How about this: There is going to always be some level of crime in Decatur because metro Atlanta is a relatively high crime area. Deal with it. This is never going to be a gated-community type place where you don’t have to be alert and use common sense to protect yourself. Despite the nickname, this ain’t Mayberry.
“This is never going to be a gated-community type place…”
Of course not. Gates are weak. This is going to be a moated fortress. With crocodiles and piranhas and, I can only hope, taunting Frenchmen!
Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.