Atlanta man starts petition to give police more resources to stop car break-ins amid surge
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Atlanta man has started a petition to give police more resources and implement a bait car program to prevent car break-ins after he recently fell victim to the crime.
The Atlanta Police Department has recorded more than 3,700 car break-ins in 2021 alone, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
"I implore [Atlanta] Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to allow the police department to utilize emergency funding from the Governor['s] emergency fund to procure multiple bait cars to catch thieves in the act," Brendon Ford's petition posted on Change.com reads.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ATLANTA MAYORAL CANDIDATE DENIES WANTING TO ‘DEFUND’ POLICE AFTER KIDS STEAL CAR
Ford also called on the mayor and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to "apply pressure to judges that are letting thieves back on the street with minimal to no consequences for their actions."
Ford installed cameras in his truck, which caught someone smashing the vehicle's window, crawling inside and rummaging through it, the outlet reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The police are currently not handling the problem due to a lack of resources and including a blockade by the mayor's office that disallows bait cars," Ford wrote. "Thieves will think twice about breaking windows and stealing cars if enough of a presence is made with bait cars and thus will curb the problem that is plaguing the area and costing the local economy thousands each day."
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Bait cars are vehicles law enforcement use to capture suspects who break into cars.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}So far, more than 1,000 people have signed Ford's petition, titled "Bring accountability to Atlanta's thieves with bait cars," within 24 hours.
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Ford told Fox 5 that car break-ins are a "huge problem and the city is not doing anything about it, the police, their hands are tied."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My petition was just to start a conversation and at least discuss those options," Ford told the outlet. "Maybe if these kids are breaking into police cars and are getting caught for these actions, maybe they’ll start second-guessing breaking into my vehicle and your vehicle."