Police warn Florence evacuees to be on alert, don't become crime victims

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - When Florence started to blow in, hotels in metro Atlanta started filling up. Evacuees seeing a safe place.  But Police warn with the influx of people can come a spike in crimes. 

"We definitely want to welcome people coming to our city, especially if they're refugees from the path of the hurricane," said Alpharetta Police Officer Howard Miller.

But police also want the hurricane evacuees to be on alert.  

A group from Charleston, South Carolina is is waiting out Florence in Alpharetta. Like most people escaping the storm's path, they brought their most valuable possessions with them. 

"Important documents, my wife, myself, some clothes," said Gregory Harper. 

They're staying in a hotel, safe from the storm. But police say they're not necessarily safe from criminals looking for an opportunity. 

Alpharetta police say last September when thousands of Floridians came to Georgia to get out of the way of Hurricane Irma, crooks took notice. 

"When Irma hit we saw 200 percent increase in out entering autos," said Officer Miller. 

Police want to make sure evacuees and the rest of us do what we can to prevent crimes, and make sure everything is locked up tight.  They've been using social media and going out in the community passing along that friendly reminder. 

Samantha Richardson from Charleston is doing exactly that. 

"We check on the cars every day.  We don't leave anything inside there, if we do it's like one bottle and that's it," said Richardson.