By Jim Wallace - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Burglars went on another spree overnight in Albany. They hit three businesses within 90 minutes.
But Albany Police have a new stake out strategy to catch the burglars... and it's working. They caught two of those suspected burglars in the act.
Albany Police are using a new strategy in the early morning hours: putting their officers in areas where they think burglars will strike.
Eddie Carter at Carter's Grill and Restaurant was glad the suspect accused of breaking into his business was caught.
"They broke into my storeroom out back. Broke the lock there. Didn't cause too much damage," Carter said.
Carter's burglar alarm went off. Police officers were close and caught 55-year-old Dennis Hawkins jumping over the fence trying to run with cans of food. "Yes, yes. I hope they keep him."
At the Bowl-A-Rama on West Broad, a 15-year-old boy pushed the air conditioner out of its holder, and went through the hole. Again the alarm went off, and a nearby Police Officer heard it. He caught the teen after he jumped the fence and tried to get away on his bicycle.
Those Police Officers were there because APD is studying burglary patterns, and putting officers where they think the crooks will be that night.
"Trying to be pro active. To do predictions of where the next incident will occur," said Lt. James Williams.
But the thieves who hit Connections Wireless in East Albany got away with more than one thousand dollars worth of cell phones and clothes. "It hurts, because I work so hard to get everything that I have. And for somebody to just come in here and just take it all, within seconds," said Owner Latoya Young.
The thieves broke one window, but could not get through the bars. Then they broke the window above the door and slipped in.
"Right now it's really bad in Albany. I just hope we can get this under control, because right now it's out of control," Young said.
Albany Police say the community working with them, and new strategies are paying off with more arrests.
"We are definitely making progress. We realize that we can not stop it, but we are making progress," said APD Lt. James Williams.
And business owners say that is the kind of help they need to keep criminals from wiping them out.
Lt. Williams urges business owners to get up to date alarm and surveillance equipment, so as soon as someone tries to break in Police will be called. He says more Cops on the streets and their new patrol strategy is paying off in the fight against crime.
Dennis Hawkins is being held in the Dougherty County jail on burglary charges. The 15-year-old was released to the custody of his mother.
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