Video shows knife-wielding man prowling behind Midtown home

ATLANTA - Neighbors in Midtown Atlanta have been given quite the scare after a man carrying a large knife walked up on to porches and tried to open doors.

"We woke up in the morning to see that our porch had been ransacked," said Sam Haskell, Midtown resident.

Haskell's next move was to check his security camera. What he saw a knife-wielding man walk right up on the back porch of his Myrtle Street home, feel from where he slept.

"He scaled the fence in the backyard and tried to gain entry into the locked door that goes to the garage, and then meandered on the porch," Haskell said.

While on the porch early Saturday morning, the intruder rummaged through items and took an electronic device. Sam said the man appears to have tried the backdoor to see if it was locked, all while holding that knife in his hand.

"We didn't have a confrontation with him and I am glad that our doors were locked," he said.

The intruder had to scale a large metal fence with no easy escape. Several Myrtle Street neighbors also had sightings of the suspect. Sam said he called 911 to report the intrusion and urges his neighbors to do the same. No matter how big or small of a situation it seems.

"A lot of people get frustrated and don't call 911. I've spoken with a lot of neighbors who've had or things missing from the porch like bicycles and they tell me that it does not do any good to call 911. So, I think calling 911 is a good idea," he said.

When it comes to home security measures, he said cameras and security systems are good, but his best home defense, has been man's best friend.

"So, when I walk around at night I have a dog, a big black dog, and that does the trick," he said.

Haskell said Atlanta police have the video and physical evidence.