Police Investigate Work Van Thefts
Authorities in the Atlanta region are searching for individuals who pretend to be workers but actually engage in theft from construction vehicles. These incidents have occurred in southeast Atlanta and Decatur, where valuables like wallets are taken from unattended vans.
Armed Confrontations Reported
Decatur Police Lt. John Bender stated: "The suspect in this case entered a construction vehicle and started taking items from within. One of the construction workers on the scene confronted the individual, at which time the suspect produced a handgun and pointed it at the victim."
In recent days, thieves using a pickup truck with a ladder have targeted work trucks at least twice, according to reports.
Contractor Kevin Ramirez described an encounter where his coworkers discovered a man searching through a work van. After a chase, the individual entered a pickup truck. When a tape measure was thrown at the vehicle, one thief exited and threatened them.
Ramirez recalled: "He stopped right here and got out of the car and pulled a gun and pointed it at us. And he said, 'Don't be funny.' I couldn't really hear what he said. He got back into the truck and drove off."
Ramirez added that the same thieves targeted another of his trucks at a different site last week, with one pointing a gun before fleeing.
Safety Recommendations
Police advise victims of vehicle burglaries to avoid confronting suspects. Instead, they should attempt to identify the individuals and their vehicle, then notify law enforcement.
