Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

This story has been updated. 

For the second time in two days Decatur Police received reports of a vehicle stolen from a residence.

Decatur Police Sgt. Jennifer Ross reports that at around 8:55 am on Monday, June 16, police responded to a residential burglar alarm at the 100 block of Bruton Street.

When officers arrived, they saw the garage doors ajar and saw the gate into the backyard had been broken off its hinges. They also saw that someone had broken a rear living room window. They found a vehicle parked in the garage with keys in the ignition in the on position, but it wasn’t running.

Police called the homeowner and learned that another vehicle that was parked in the driveway was missing. A maintenance worker at the house next door told police he saw a black woman, between 30 to 40 years old, approximately 5’7, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans walking in the area before the burglary.

The stolen vehicle is a red Mercedes E320 displaying Georgia tag number PEX 2935.

This latest report follows a burglary and motor vehicle theft reported on Sunday, June 15.

In that case, the resident walked in on the burglary in progress and the suspects got away with her car before police arrived.

In her email, Ross included this message to Decatur residents:

Watch out for your neighbors & call police immediately if you observe suspicious behavior. Not only is it the neighborly thing to do, everyone benefits from the added security that comes with knowing the people who share the space around you and looking out for each other. No police department can function effectively without the concerned assistance of community members. There is no way for officers to know where approximately 20,000 residents live and who or what vehicles normally come and go from individual homes. The police are dependent on you to call whenever you observe suspicious persons, activities or motor vehicles.

We sometimes fail to call the police simply because we are not aware of what seemingly innocent activities might be suspicious. Other times we may notice suspicious activity and be hesitant to call for fear of seeming nosey or rude. Sometimes we assume someone else saw or heard something and already called. Call the police immediately about all suspicious activity and do it yourself, anonymously if you wish. You may have more information than another caller. Do not worry about bothering the police or being embarrassed if your suspicions prove unfounded. Officers can quickly check out a person who may end up being a repair worker or friend who stopped by unexpectedly and make sure everything is okay. Think of what might have happened if you didn’t call.

HOW DO I IDENTIFY A SUSPICIOUS PERSON AS SUSPICIOUS?

People aren’t suspicious, behavior is. Although we say “suspicious person” or “suspicious vehicle”, it is in fact the behavior that is suspicious.

– Do you see someone you do not recognize loitering on a neighbor’s property or going to/coming from the side or rear of the house?

– Do you see a vehicle in your neighbor’s driveway, especially backed-in, that you do not recognize or at a time when nobody is usually home?

– Do you see person(s) going door to door, especially if they go to the side or rear of the house?

– Do you see someone waiting or loitering near a neighbor’s house, looking around as though they are trying to check to see if anyone is watching them?

– Do you hear glass breaking or the striking, banging noise caused by a door being kicked in?

– Do you see the same unknown vehicle circulating the area, driving slowly, stopping in front of your neighbor’s houses?

There are approximately 20,000 residents in Decatur and 47 police officers who are not all on duty at the same time. Think of it as having 20,000 sets of eyes rather than 47 sets of eyes.