More Atlanta Vehicle Break-ins and Thefts

ATLANTA - Residents in two Metro Atlanta neighborhoods are speaking out, hoping to raise awareness about crooks in their area.

Ryan Blackburn said a neighbor in his community, The Townhomes at 4620 Wieuca in Buckhead, knocked on his door Saturday to tell him his tires were stolen. He didn't believe her until he walked outside and saw his Tahoe stripped of its wheels and sitting on blocks.

"In this community, I think we have 74 townhomes, and they are all on top of each other," Blackburn said. "For someone to come here with neighbors right in front of them is very bold."

Three days later and just a mile away, JR Wright said thieves attempted to take the tires from his wife's Tahoe.

"My wife went to work at 8:30 this morning, got about half-mile down High Point Road and noticed her tires were not riding properly," Wright said. "She pulled over and saw she was missing all but one lug nut on her back right tire, and all of her front right tires had been loosed up."

Wright said the thieves did not take the wheels because they had locks on the lug nuts, but adds they did take the caps and said two other residents in his Sandy Springs community near Dalmer Road and Windsor Parkway had their tires stolen.

"Everyone is a little uptight that something like that can happen in one night in our little neighborhood," Wright said.

Atlanta police responded to more than 30 tire and rim thefts over a two month period, the majority of them in Southwest Atlanta. In August, police responded to three Brookhaven homes who had tires stolen from their vehicles, and just last month Atlanta police said all four tires and wheels were taken from an SUV in Buckhead, and another in Midtown. 

Investigators said it is difficult to catch those responsible because the wheels do not have serial numbers on them.  Police said if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call 911.