Cobb County Police are reminding residents to avoid taking matters into their own hands after a homeowner narrowly missed getting shot while tracking alleged thieves.
According to a statement from the police department, officers were called to a report of shots fired around 2 a.m. on June 20 in the Paces Farm subdivision of West Cobb. There, a homeowner reportedly followed a car occupied by people he suspected were thieves who had just broken into his vehicle on West Sandtown Road.
Once in the subdivision off of Hoyle Farm Drive, the homeowner said someone fired several shots at him. Luckily, he wasn't hit and was able to return to his home.
Now, police are on the lookout for whoever was responsible for the alleged shooting and theft. But they're also warning the public to take care when trying to gather information on a suspect - being a good witness where possible - and keep their car interiors clean and locked up.
"Whether you take these precautions or not, if you find yourself the victim of one of these crimes, we would caution against confronting and/or following criminals," the statement said. "Though not all cases are the same, it is best to not chance becoming a victim of a shooting in addition to a victim of a theft."
They also advised residents to call 911 as soon as possible and provide a detailed description.
"The sooner we are alerted, the sooner we can respond," the statement said. "Be the best witness possible without putting yourself in harm's way."
Cobb County Police are also sponsoring a community town hall meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at McEachern United Methodist Church to discuss the recent increase of entering autos cases in West Cobb.
If anyone has information on this particular case, police are asking them to contact their Crimes Against Persons Unit at 770-499-3945 or cobbpolicecrimetips@cobbcounty.org.
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