In City's Crime Wave, Candler Park is a Relative Oasis of Safety

In a city that has undergone a series of major crimes ranging from a string of armed robberies to kidnapping attempts to carjackings, residents of Candler Park and Lake Claire have largely been spared.

Compared with other Atlanta Police Department neighborhood beats, APD Beat 608, which includes Candler Park and Lake Claire, is among the safest in the neighborhoods comprising East Atlanta Patch.

Beat 608, which falls under APD Zone 6, ranks first in terms of safety concerning rapes and homicide and nearly impressive showings in other serious crimes, Officer Ryan Stephens told Candler Park residents Monday night at the neighborhood's monthly meeting.

Even a recent spate of mobile phone snatch-and-run thefts seems to be under control.

The one problem area: auto break-ins.

Though no neighborhood is immune to vehicle larcenies, break-ins are an acute problem in Candler Park and Lake Claire, with the Beat 608 ranking 10th out of 12 beats, Stephens said.

"We are failing horribly," he said, noting that in Beat 608, auto-break-ins are up 106 percent.

In all of Zone 6, which also includes Inman Park, Grant Park, East Atlanta and Cabbagetown, vehicle larcenies are up 23.61 percent.

Citywide, they increased 1.41 percent, APD figures show.

"We’ve never had as many break-ins as we've had now," Stephens said.

There is a pattern to the car break-ins, he said, explaining those who are committing the larcenies are traveling west, using the Freedom Park path and Freedom Parkway as their escape routes.

They then sell their ill-gotten gains — GPS devices and other items of value — for money, Stephens said.

He said additional personnel — thanks to more police overtime — should help put a dent in the break-ins and that the goal is to dramatically reduce Beat 608's vehicle larceny numbers.