ATLANTA — Catrina Cousar calls her clothing boutique, According to Fashion, her baby. Her newest location on Decatur Street in Atlanta just turned two. Instead of celebrating her dream, Cousar was seething over recent burglaries at her store.
"I'm numb. I take 20 steps forward to be knocked 50 steps backward," Cousar said. "I’ve had three hits within a week-and-a-half. I’ve been leaving the lights on, got new camera systems, a new alarm so when it goes off it literally wakes up the neighborhood. It's all to stop and deter them from even coming in.”
Security cameras outside caught a masked man wearing a black hat and Reebok T-shirt breaking into the store in the last month. Footage shows him walking out, his arms full of stolen clothes.
Inside the store, cameras caught another man recently wearing a mask, a black hoodie and navy pants. He was carrying a black backpack and was seen swiping a pair of shoes. Cousar said the burglars took thousands of dollars worth of clothes, shoes, purses and other accessories.
"I just went to Vegas to the magic show to purchase for fall fashion," Cousar said. "As soon as it’s coming in, they’re taking it out. This is just not an According to Fashion problem, it’s a community issue."
Cousar said security was scarce around the store, especially between midnight and 2 a.m., when the burglars typically hit her store. Some customers fear for the store's safety.
"To see someone who I saw start from the bottom, her beginnings to where she is now, to see how people actually tried to take these things from her, it's very disheartening," a customer who wanted to go by the name Jordan said. “It’s very sad to know that one trying to build on themselves and continue to build and strive for the right thing, and people just continue to try and break her down. But her work won’t go in vain.”
Cousar is concerned her insurance premium may go up after repeated reports of break-ins, or she's worried her insurance company may drop her altogether if they consider her high-risk. She said she has had to give some online customers refunds, which takes away from her bottom line.
Cousar said tight finances also prevent her from hiring a personal security guard and implementing other measures. Atlanta Police have not identified or arrested any suspects in connection with the string of burglaries at According to Fashion. An APD spokesperson offered the following statement to 11Alive:
"This area consistently receives extra patrols and resources based on crime statistics, which we will continue to adjust based on analysis of crime patterns. We encourage the integration of cameras and use of alarm systems."
However, Cousar remains determined that the struggle won't steal her dream.
"They will be caught, because I'm not going to stand for it," Cousar said. "I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to move. I'm going to continue to grow and keep going."