Local

Nearly 20 cars vandalized in NE Atlanta community

ATLANTA — Police are looking for four teenagers believed to have vandalized nearly 20 cars in a northeast Atlanta community before pulling a gun on a resident.

Channel 2's Ashley Swann spoke to neighbors on Ralph McGill Boulevard.

They said they were surprised that their building was targeted because the Block Lofts in the Old Fourth Ward supposedly has 24 hour on-site security. But that didn't stop the four teens from breaking into a parking deck, doing a lot of damage and even threatening the resident who spotted them.

"It sounds pretty terrifying," said resident Amanda Pendleton.

The terrifying encounter played out around 6:30 a.m. Saturday inside a parking deck at the lofts. According to Atlanta police, a resident was pulling out of the deck, when he spotted the four teens with bandanas over their faces hiding behind some cars. When the resident yelled for them to leave, one teen ran up to his vehicle, put a gun to his face and told him to get out of his car.

That's when the resident says he hit the gas to get away.

"That's pretty frightening," said Pendleton.

Police responded and found 19 cars inside the deck vandalized. The incident comes just a day after vandals hit 21 cars inside a gated parking garage at Auburn Glen in Edgewood, about a mile and a half away.

“This has been multiple times that people have broken into our cars,” Pendleton said.

But residents say it’s not routine for their community.

"We've got people here 24/7, as I understand it. So it's really unbelievable," said resident John Osman.

And, with stepped up patrols along the city's beltline nearby, they hope police can stamp out these kinds of crimes altogether.

"I've seen a lot more bikes and presence around here lately, so I would hope that this kind of thing is not going be happening much more," said Osman.

Authorities are processing security video from outside the lofts. Residents received letters Saturday, warning them to be vigilant.