CUMMING, Ga. — Folks in Forsyth County are being reminded to lock their cars, and some people learned this lesson the hard way. According to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, two males were caught on camera, early Tuesday morning, opening unlocked vehicles then removing the valuables. Three subdivisions were targeted - Wild Meadows, Whisper Point, and Orchard Lakes – all in northeast Forsyth County, but Cpl. Doug Rainwater with FCSO says these crimes happen everywhere.
“This is not a Forsyth County issue,” Rainwater said. “This is Fulton County, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee. It's metro Atlanta because it is so easy to commit this crime. It only takes a few seconds.”
Police say 30 vehicles were broken into including two law enforcement vehicles.
“[One] was an unmarked detective car,” Cpl. Doug Rainwater said. “A personal AR-15 and a personal handgun belonging to the detective was taken from her car. The other agencies car, a taser was taken.”
The AR-15 and taser have both been recovered, but one gun is still out there. Rainwater says no disciplinary action has been taken, but the officers could be reprimanded for leaving weapons in an unlocked vehicle.
“We have sent this over to our office of professional standards for them to see if there's any type of policy violation,” he said. “They're currently conducting an investigation on it.”
An 18-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection to the break-in’s, but police are still searching for a second suspect.
Rainwater says crimes like this are easily preventable by simply taking valuables inside your home. It’s also a good idea to lock your vehicle, especially if you have a garage door opener inside. Otherwise, you’re giving criminals access to more than just your car.
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