ATLANTA — An Atlanta city councilmember is pushing for increased security at apartments days after windows on more than 140 vehicles were smashed at an Inman Park apartment complex over the weekend.
Councilmember Keisha Waites is calling for a new ordinance to require apartment complexes in the city to have what she's calling a comprehensive security plan. She knows first-hand how it feels to have a vehicle broken into; it happened to her last year.
"Folks should not be coming home to this type of ridiculousness," she said.
Officers responded around 7 a.m. Saturday to the Mariposa Lofts apartment complex in Atlanta's Inman Park neighborhood at 185 Montag Circle NE. When APD officers got there, they found windows busted out of numerous cars inside the apartment complex's parking garage.
Two guns were stolen out of different vehicles, although none were taken from the APD patrol car, according to officers.
"I’ve seen a lot of cars broken into but this is the most I’ve ever done in one spot," said Tony Campbell with Clear View Auto Glass.
He's picking up the shattered glass, crooks left behind after breaking into more than 100 vehicles at the apartment complex.
"I see a lot of people get guns and things like that stolen," Campbell said. "So I see them hurt about that. Some people have sentimental things taken."
According to a survey from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, at-home security cameras deter burglars 50 percent of the time. It also shows, having an alarm system will deter a burglary 53 percent of the time. Having police nearby ranked as the top deterrent - working 64 percent of the time.
Waites stated there is a security camera system at the complex where the break-ins happened over the weekend, but there have been technical issues getting video from it. She said that is why a working system and additional safety measures are needed.
As for the case at Mariposa Lofts, police released photos Monday of two people who they said were involved in the break-ins. APD is hoping someone will come forward and help officers identify the suspects, pictured below.
