NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Sheriffs from two Georgia counties are warning residents that they are being targeted by Atlanta gangs.
Earlier this week, Major Scott Whisnant from the Walton County Sheriff's Office put out a video saying that gang members were responsible for a recent series of car break-ins in that area.
"The majority of the folks doing these crimes are gang elements out of the Atlanta, DeKalb area coming in to our county to commit these crimes," he said.
Whisnant said the break-ins have been occurring over the last few months - and it's reportedly getting worse.
“We don’t see this problem stopping," he said.
On Friday, the Newton County Sheriff's Office echoed those thoughts.
"Gangs from DeKalb County are targeting neighborhoods in Newton Country using real estate apps like Zillow to identify neighborhoods they want to target. Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown states his department has increased patrols, but added there are numerous gang members in DeKalb & advised not to confront them if you see them committing a crime because they’re armed & dangerous," they posted on Facebook.
Authorities offered these tips:
- Call 911 if you see something suspicious.
“Call them while it’s going on to give us the best opportunity to have an interaction with these folks, to find out if they are up to no good, or if it's somebody that’s there for a legitimate reason," he said.
2. Lock your car doors and remove valuables.
“They will come into your yard, into your driveway, and they’ll pull on the door handle," Whisnant said. "If that car is locked, they’ll move on."
He added that officers have seen this happen time and time again.
3. Make sure your alarms and cameras at home are functional.
Whisnant said that investigators have used video before to catch criminals.
Residents should stay vigilant and contact authorities during any emergencies.
Tips from convicted criminals
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