Car thefts, break-ins on the rise in Buckhead

ATLANTA — Nice Buckhead neighborhoods filled with plenty of nice cars and few garages to park them in appear to be the perfect magnet for thieves.

Channel 2 Action News spoke with several neighbors near Piedmont and Peachtree roads, who've been victims in just the past few months.

"It makes me mad and everything that you would expect, but more than anything it makes me sad," said neighbor Joseph Peake, whose Subaru Outback was stolen in late September.

A few streets over, thieves targeted Frank Sieper's cars twice, first stealing and destroying his Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Then months later, Sieper says more thieves showed up and broke into his new car.

"It's kind of sad living in the middle of Buckhead in a good neighborhood," said Sieper.

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Atlanta police crime statistics show car thefts up 27 percent over 2015, in APD's Zone 2 which includes Buckhead. And car break-ins are up 18 percent from 2015.

While Atlanta police tell Channel 2 Action News they step up patrols in affected neighborhoods, Sieper is taking matters into his own hands.

"(I) actually boot my own car in front my house," said Sieper.

He also installed a security camera to catch thieves in the act.

Whatever it takes to rid his beautiful neighborhood of its ugly problem.

Cox Media Group