**Warning**

From an email that I received yesterday:
______________________________________

Okay, we’ve all heard of at least one of these, but this report from the Chastain Park Civic Assn. is the first to assimilate all 7 occurrences into one email. I thought it was worth forwarding. Please forward to others that you know. I spoke with a couple of friends this evening who are already turning their rings around or not wearing any jewelry at all right now until this crime ring has been stopped. Please be careful out there!!!


To: chastainpark@georgiasecuritycouncil.org
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 8:25 PM
Subject: Chastain Security Alert: Dangerous String of Robberies

Dear Neighbors,
Below is a message and synopses provided by the Atlanta Police Department of robberies that have been occurring in Zone 2 since early January. Please be very VIGILANT and aware of your surroundings at all times!
Chastain Park Civic Association

Important Message from APD:

“We are providing more visibility in our parking lots and are monitoring many of them with random and selective plain-clothed officers’ presence. Also, please be aware that it appears that many of our victims were approached while they were pre-occupied with approaching or getting in to their car. Furthermore, the perpetrators may be scanning the area for women with large stones (rings). All seven incidents have involved rings with values of $10,000 - $60,000. Moreover, we have not had an incident where another adult was with the victim – it is likely to be safer when shopping with other adults. However, we should emphasize that last night’s incident occurred while other shoppers were walking in front of the robbery. Again, our citizens should be extremely vigilant, minimize wearing “hi-end” jewelry while shopping (at least until the trend ceases or an arrest made). However, if someone is out with such jewelry on, we advise that they turn the stone of the ring towards the inside of their hand and not outward, so that the stone is hidden, or keeping the ring hand in pants or jacket pockets. In addition, if our citizens feel threatened or are insecure, please alert the store’s security or employees, activate their vehicle’s alarm/horn, or dial 911. Several leads are materializing; however, everyone should maximize their ability to remain safe during this current trend, which is also occurring in other metro-Atlanta areas.”


1/5/07 9:08 PM 3500 Peachtree Road Phipps Plaza
Victim: 40 year old white female
Perpetrators: Two black males dressed in black: 20-25 yoa, 175-180 lbs; 20-25 yoa, 160-165 lbs.

The victim stated that she was walking on the sidewalk of Saks when two black males walked up in front of her and one pulled out a black handgun and demanded the victim's rings. She complied and they ran toward the parking lot and got into a black Ford Explorer. APD ran the tag and found that the Explorer was stolen.

2/11/07 2:30 PM 3535 Peachtree Road Publix Parking lot (across from Phipps)
Victim: 43 year old white female
Perpetrator: 25 year old Black male; approximately 6' tall; 170 lbs.

The victim stated that she left the grocery store at approximately 2:30 pm. While walking to her vehicle, a black male came up behind her and stated, "Give me your jewelry. If you move, I will hurt you." A Publix employee witnessed the incident, but neither she nor the victim could tell whether or not he had a handgun, but he did stick an object in the victim's left side. The victim gave him her diamond ring and jumped into her car and drove home. Neither victim nor witness saw the suspect get into a vehicle.

2/14/07 3:40 PM 3500 Peachtree Road (Phipps Plaza)
Victim: 39 year old white female
Perpetrator: Two black males: 25-30 yoa; 6' - 6'2"; 200 to 230 lbs. No description of 2nd perpetrator.

The victim stated that she walked out the door of Parisian's to go to her car. She stated that as she walked, she observed a dark red Honda Accord with the two suspects inside back out of a parking space beside the door and back into the space next to her car. She stated that she placed her children in the vehicle and started to walk around to the driver's side when one of the suspects appeared in front of her and told her to give him her rings. As she tried to remove the rings, the suspect grabbed her hand to get them off. After he got the rings, the victim stated that he told her to give him her purse, which she did. He then got into the vehicle and left. APD ran the tag on the Honda, and found that it was taken off a Dodge Caravan.

2/19/07 6:08 PM 2625 Piedmont Road Michaels Arts and Crafts
Victim: 37 year old white female
Perpetrator: 30 year old black male, approximately 6'2", 180 lbs, wearing multi-colored knit hat, a black windbreaker and black pants; slight facial hair.

The victim stated that she was at the rear of her vehicle with the door opened and had just finished changing her child's diaper when she was approached by the suspect. The suspect told her to give him her rings or he would shoot her (he displayed a black semi-automatic pistol). She complied. He then grabbed her car keys from her. She told him that her daughter was inside the vehicle and asked him to please let her get her child. He then threw the keys on the ground and went to his vehicle and left the scene. The victim further stated that as she was changing the diaper, she had noticed the suspect vehicle pull in behind her and then back up into the parking space in front of her vehicle. She described the vehicle as a 1995 or 1996 white Honda Accord.


3/6/07 3:30 PM 1250 West Paces Ferry Road
Victim: 46 year old white female
Perpetrator: 25 to 30 year old black male; 6'4", 225 lbs.; wearing black jacket and black pants.

The victim stated that out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black male, 20-30 years old, wearing a black jacket and black pants talking on a cell phone. She stated that he approached her as she opened the passenger side door and forcefully pushed her into the door jam and placed a gun in her stomach stating "give me the ring." She complied, and as he walked away he told her not to scream and to shut up.

3/14/07 2:16 PM 3489 Northside Parkway
Victim: 56 year old white female
Perpetrator: 25 year old black male; 6' tall; 180 lbs.; wearing gray jogging suit.

The victim stated that at about 2:15 p.m. she walked to her car after shopping at Glyn Weakley, a home furnishing and jewelry store. She opened her door and was approached from behind by a man who said, "If you scream, I'll kill you right now. Give me the ring!" At first she said no. Then he said, "My little girl is sick and I have to have the ring. If you don't give it to me, I'll kill you." He was holding a dull gray pistol. She gave him her rings, and he ran southbound along Northside Parkway behind Caribou Coffee.

3/18/06 6:55 PM 3539 Piedmont Road (Target parking lot)
Victim: 31 year old white female
Perpetrator: 25 to 30 year old black male; wearing long sleeved white tee shirt and blue jeans.

The victim stated that she was at the rear of her vehicle loading items she'd bought and had her child in the cart next to her. She stated that as she turned, the subject was standing beside her. He showed her a silver handgun and asked for her purse and her rings as he put the gun to her stomach (the victim is pregnant). She complied, and he turned, ran, and got into a vehicle. The victim didn't get a look at the vehicle. Detectives reviewed the parking lot video which revealed the suspect vehicle as a possible four door silver Chevy Malibu or Impala with possibly a drive out tag. The subject was a passenger in the vehicle. The video also revealed that the subject and driver circled the parking lot before approaching the victim. They drove past her and the subject exited the passenger side, walked down the lane and then suddenly turned and headed for the victim at her car. The driver parked a few spaces away from the victim and waited for the passenger to return. They then exited the parking lot headed toward Adina and Sidney Marcus Blvd. It appeared from the video that the driver was also wearing a white, long sleeved tee shirt.