GPNW CRIME ALERT: Beware of Treat-or-Treaters and Armed Robbery Alert

[Grant Park Neighborhood Watch]

Grant Park Security Patrol: SAFETY REMINDERS

We are planning to schedule an officer to be here tomorrow evening. Halloween tends to bring in the start of the holidy season and with it some additional crime problems.

For the trick-or-treat crowd, our officers suggest that you should shut it down when the younger kids are finished with door to door activities, typically around 8 or 9pm. We'll sometimes have older teenagers, no costumes, checking out houses later in the evening, sometimes as late as 11pm.

If you have electronics or other valuables visible from the front door or from the street, do your best to conceal them. Closing shutters or blinds is advisable. Do not allow older "treat-or-treaters" to enter the front doorway where they can scope out the front of the residence, see big screen TVs, etc.

In the past few years in the days following Halloween we've had a couple of smash and grab burglaries. Lt Iosty and Office Clements will be patrolling on Thursday and Friday.

Remember to lock your front door if you are visiting next door neighbors or other nearby activities.

LAST NIGHT THERE AS AN ARMED ROBBERY OF A RESIDENT AS HE WAS WALKING HOME FROM THE MARTA STOP AT ATLANTA AVE AND HILL STREET. HE HAD HIS IPAD AND WALLET TAKEN AND THE SUSPECT RAN SOUTH TOWARD SUMMERHILL. THE SUSPECT HAD BEEN SEEN RIDING THAT BUS FROM DOWNTOWAN AND IS A YOUNG BLACK MALE WITH TEAR DROPS AND OTHER FACIAL TATTOOS.

If a sketch of the suspect is done by APD, we'll post that later.

Remember to secure your vehicles and clean out all valuables. There was someone entering autos in the NW quadrant of the neighborhood. No broken windows but he must have been wandering through pulling on door handles.

Thanks to all members for your continued support of the Grant Park Security Patrol (GPSP). We had a great time at the Grant Park Halloween parades on Saturday night, and we had great support from the community. We had enough donations for the hotdog cookout so that we can add about an additional 10 hours of patrols during the holiday season.

The Villas and Oldfield of Grant Park HOAs have joined the GPSP, so we'll be able to maintain our present levels of patrols and their support will allow for additional patrol hours as well.

Grant Park neighbors learn about and join the GPSP here: http://gpna.org/security-patrol

Have a safe Halloween!