Councilman Chip Collins brought up the issue of increased coyote populations at the end of the Feb. 7 City Council work session. He wanted to know if the city should help residents do something about it. He suggested trapping might be a way to make the increasingly comfortable coyote population wary of venturing into residents’ yards.

Collins said he asked residents for their opinion and said he received around 100 responses.

“I do think its a problem,” he said.

Coyote trapping has been a controversial topic. The Huntcliff Homes Association recently started trapping them. Not all residents agreed that is the best approach.

Police Chief Terry Sult told the council there have been more sightings of coyotes in the area.

“These animals are destructive,” Sult said. He said the trappers have stories to tell. “(One trapper) found one that killed a whole cow.”

The rest of the council didn’t act interested in spending money to run the coyotes out of Sandy Springs.

Mayor Eva Galambos said when she was worried about coyotes eating her pet cat, she hired the trapper herself.

“I did not come to Sandy springs to figure out what the city could do for me,” she said. “We put the traps out. They’re gone.”

Councilwoman Karen Meinzen McEnerny said she wouldn’t support spending public money to harm animals.

Sult said the newer traps are much more humane. Collins wasn’t advocating killing coyotes. Just catching them.

“Coyotes are smart,” Collins said, adding that it would be wise to make them “wary of humans.”

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The following incidents and arrests are some, but not all, of the reports filed with SSPD over the listed period, dated through Jan. 17.

The following information was provided by the Sandy Springs Police Department from its records and is presumed to be accurate.

Robbery

5600 block of Peachtree Dunwoody Road 30342 – On Jan. 21, a woman said she was walking on the sidewalk when a man ran up and grabbed her handbag and then ran across the road, jumping into a blue, older sedan with large, silver rims, and fled.  She had taken her wallet, ID and credit cards out of the purse, so the crook basically got nothing.

9400 block of Roberts Drive 30350 – On Jan. 24, a man said that a former client to his web-solutions business forced him to withdraw money from his bank account approximately 30 times between January 2011 and now. The man would intimidate him into driving to the Bank of America on Roberts Drive and withdraw funds from the ATM. He also said that he hired a woman to work at his company and soon after, his clients complained that their credit card numbers were used without permission.

Burglary

1300 block of Summit Springs Drive 30350 – A burglary was reported on Jan. 21.

7900 block of Roswell Road 30350 – A burglary was reported on Jan. 21.

5600 block of Roswell Road 30342 – On Jan. 22, at the International School of Skin and Nails, officers responded to an alarm call, and found an open door, but at the time of the report, nothing was missing.

8300 block of Roswell Road 30350 – On Jan. 23 the maintenance shop at The Points at Canyon Ridge Apartments was broken into. Missing are a water heater, two toilets and a microwave oven.

200 block of Johnson Ferry Road 30342 – On Jan. 24 a café owner said he received a call from an employee who said his baker did not show up for work and the cash drawer was missing. The baker is on the short list of suspects.

Theft

6600 block of Roswell Road 30328 – On Jan. 21 a woman said someone took her wallet while she was at work. Her credit cards were later used.

8300 block of Roswell Road — A man walked into a gas station just after 1 a.m. and took two cans of Steel Reserve 211 beer and stuffed them down his pants, then fled when confronted by the clerk.  The beer was valued at $1.89 each.

800 block of Hammond Drive – A hotel employee said that someone stole several items from a rented room. A bathrobe, coffee maker, ice bucket and four pillows were missing.

6300 block of Peachtree Dunwoody Road 30328 – On Jan. 25 a woman said her roommate’s girlfriend stole a pair of Cartier pink-tinted glasses valued at $1,300, her Florida driver’s license and a pillow.

Theft from Vehicles

Articles were stolen from vehicles on the following dates:

1600 block of Powers Ridge Place (x2) 30342, Jan. 21.

700 block of Willow Creek Drive 30328, Jan. 21.

5200 block of Woodridge Forest Trail 30328, Jan. 21.

Spring Oaks Court 30328, Jan. 21.

100 block of Riverwood Place 30328, Jan. 21.

6100 block of Roswell Road 30328, Jan. 21.

500 block of Pine Forest Road 30328, Jan. 21.

5200 block of South Trimble Road 30342, Jan. 22.

500 block of Vinington Court (x2), 30350, Jan. 25.

200 block of Lackland Court, 30350, Jan. 25.

Fraud

8300 block of Roswell Road  — A man  said someone opened an account in his name with Progressive Finance. The company called him in September and told him that someone fraudulently used his information. They did not call back until January 2012, when they contacted him to collect $1,600.

A man said that when he subscribed to a credit monitoring service he found that someone opened an account with Allied Bank Credit (card) in his name in March of 2007.

A man said that his father passed away and he was named executor for his father’s estate. While in the process of settling his father’s affairs, he found out that his brother opened an account with Georgia Power in his father’s SSN.

A woman reported that on Nov. 18 her car was broken into and her driver’s license, SSN card and other personal items were stolen. On Jan. 25, she found that someone cashed several checks with her account number as if they were her.

Assault

500 block of Northridge Crossing 30350 – On Jan. 23 there was a domestic violence assault.

8300 block of Roswell Road 30350 – On Jan. 25 there was a domestic violence assault.

Arrests

6000 block of Roswell Road — Officers were called to an argument. When they arrived, they spoke to a woman who said a man grabbed her because he was jealous that she was talking to his girlfriend. The officer ran her personal information on the GCIC computer and found she was wanted in Clayton County for not showing in court. She was arrested.

5600 block of Roswell Road 30342 – On Jan. 21, Target store employees detained a man who was seen placing items into a shopping bag, then trying to leave without paying. In the bag was a pair of gloves costing $15.68 and a laser lens cleaner valued at $5.39. He was arrested.

Ga.  400 at Pitts Road – On Jan. 22, following a traffic stop, an officer told the driver to remain in his car while he wrote a citation. The man got out. The officer told him again to get back into the car for safety reasons and if he didn’t, he would be arrested. He didn’t. The officer noted that the man “attempted to resist which produced negative results.” The now-arrested man yelled at the officer and threatened to spit in his face. During all this, two small baggies of marijuana fell out of the man’s pocket. He was taken to jail.

200 block of Northwood Drive 30342 – On Jan. 22 officers received a call of persons smoking marijuana in a vacant apartment. On arrival, the officers saw two men run from the location of the vacant apartment. The two men were caught and detained. One suspect was found to be wanted in East Point for distributing drugs. He was also listed as missing (runaway) from Atlanta. He was taken to Fulton Juvenile Intake in Atlanta. The second juvenile was charged and turned over to his mother.

Hammond Drive — Cops were called a hotel on Jan. 24 just before 2 a.m. They spoke with a cabbie who said he picked up a fare from Buckhead and drove him to the hotel. The man’s credit card was declined. The man wouldn’t pay the $25 fare, stating that the cabbie should return the following day for the money. (The passenger was drinking.) He was from New York. He said his son lived in Smyrna but refused to contact him. The man was charged with theft of services and arrested.

Other Stuff

Mount Vernon Highway — Cops were called to a movie theater. A woman complained to police that she was watching the movie with her friend when her cellphone went off and activated the screen light. An older woman behind them got mad and threw popcorn on the woman. The person with the woman who was on the receiving end of the popcorn was upset that the theater staff didn’t detain the woman (who left) and said he would contact his attorney over this “horrible” incident.

Over my police career, I’ve been hit with several things including a bat, pipe, feet, and occasionally, small farm animals. Popcorn? Never. I went home after reading this and popped some 100-calorie popcorn and asked my wife to sit behind me and throw it at me. From what I can tell, it bounced off my head, landing harmlessly on the floor. I contacted my attorney and reported the findings to him for a legal opinion. He said since there was no physical injury, he was not sure that I could sue the popcorn manufacture or my wife.

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The nonprofit Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund will host its charity invitational on March 26 at the Cherokee Town & Country Club, an all-day event to benefit officers and their families.

“When an SSPD police officer’s child needed special surgery, an SSPD officer unexpectedly required surgery, an SSFD fireman suffered from a serious illness, or a Georgia State Trooper was killed in the line of duty, the Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund was there and prepared to help,” the brochure for the tournament says. “Fortunately, the Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund is not limited to SSPD officers. Additionally, it has reached across several jurisdictional lines to help all public safety officers who have been in need.”

The tournament will be a competition between four-person teams. Sponsorships range from $500 to $25,000.

District 3 Sandy Springs Councilman Chip Collins, who serves on the advisory board for the tournament, is offering his constituents an additional incentive to participate: beer. Collins told constituents via email he’d buy a round of drinks or some other gift for the team in his district with the lowest score.

“I have pledged to get them five foursomes (20 golfers) from the good folks of District 3, so I hope you’ll help me accomplish that goal,” Collins said in the email. ” … I think this will be a great opportunity to play golf, socialize and rub elbows with your neighbors, community leaders, and our friends on the force who put their lives on the line for us everyday.   I hope you’ll join us.”

For more information visit:  http://www.magnoliagolfgroup.com/sandy-springs-police-charity-golf-invitational/index.html

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Around 6 a.m., two police officers responded to a victim who ran to them for help after the suspect allegedly tried to rob him at the Citgo Gas Station and Food Mart on Roswell Road and Lake Placid Drive, south of I-285. The officers drove to the gas station where the found the suspect, identified as LeRon Omar Boone, 34, of Stone Mountain, sitting in his truck which was still parked at the gas station. Police officers said they approached the truck and Boone suddenly opened the door, flashed his weapon and ran. One of the officers fired at Boone and missed, police said. Boone ran south on Roswell Road but was caught and taken into custody. No one was injured in the incident, police spokesman Lt. Steve Rose said.

“Boone will be charged with Robbery as well as other firearm and obstruction related charges,” Rose said.

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“(The Georgia Department of Transportation) will be paving in the area between Wright Road and Roswell Rd for the remainder of this week.  There will be horizontal shifts in traffic as the lanes are paved.  While traffic controls are in place to help facilitate flow, due to the volume of traffic that runs through that area, slow-downs and back-ups are expected.

“Beginning Wednesday, Feb 1, Riverwood Drive between Riverside Parkway and Riverhill Drive will be closed as the City makes repairs on an arch pipe culvert located on Riverwood Drive.  The project is expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting.  Residents in the neighborhood are advised to use either Riverside Parkway to Riverside Drive, or River Shore Parkway to Colewood Way as a detour. “

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