Americus- Amous Foster likes to be in the game with his granddaughter Ashley.
What he doesn't like, is the number of cars that have been broken into in his neighborhood. Foster's been living in his home on Cypress Drive for more than 30 years.
"It didn't used to happen around here," he said.
But it did this week. Early Thursday morning, valuable items were taken from 12 vehicles in the area of Armory Drive, Maple Drive, Cypress Drive and other streets in North Americus. These kinds of thieves are looking for something specific.
"Most of it looks like cars of opportunity," said Americus Police Chief James Green.
That means all but one of those 12 cars were unlocked.
"They'll get out and go to areas where they think there will be more valuable items, where they're going to look for that comfortable setting, where people will leave their cars unlocked, so it's totally important to lock it," said Green.
Americus Police are working with the Sumter County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Natural Resources to put a stop to these kinds of thefts. Earlier this month, Americus Police caught Melvin Davis trying to break into a car and put him in jail. Two weeks ago, Police arrested these three men and some juveniles for entering auto theft in South Americus.
Now it's a crime that's started in Foster's neighborhood.
"Not a long time ago, but here lately, these people will steal you blind around here."
But he knows using common sense is the best way to beat criminals at their own game.
posted by news@walb.com
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