Atlanta

Atlanta neighbors say rock-throwers are targeting cars, homes

By Matt Johnson, WSB-TV
By Matt Johnson, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — People in a southeast Atlanta neighborhood say that teenagers are randomly throwing rocks into car and home windows, sparking concerns that their actions may get someone hurt.

Ashley Vera, of Peoplestown, bought a new car last month and went outside to find someone had thrown a rock through it on the day she bought it.

"I'm also angry there was nothing in the car to even take but they still made the effort to break into the vehicle," she said.

She had to pay $300 to get the window replaced.

A few blocks away, a woman says someone threw a rock through her window while she was asleep inside her home two weeks ago. The glass shattered all over her and the suspects ran away. On that weekend, her neighbor reported that someone had thrown a rock at his house too.

"They should be punished," Vera said.

On average, Peoplestown residents have been reporting a home or car break in once every other day since Aug. 1.

Cecil Paez remembers when he came outside to his SUV and saw someone had thrown a rock through the window two weeks ago during the afternoon.

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He says they also destroyed the glass of the Little Library he made for the neighborhood.

"It's very frustrating," he said. "You could tell they were walking by just throwing at just random."

Paez says he has told Atlanta police officers teenagers have been threatening neighbors in recent months. He said one even tried breaking into his home while he was inside.

"I had a 16-year-old try to break into my house and I just happened to home and he was 2 minutes away from being killed by me," he said.

Now the hope is that more cameras are added in the neighborhood to catch criminals in action.

"We can't let this go," he said. "We have the right to live here peacefully."

Cox Media Group

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