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Sadly, we already know many airport parking lots and garages are prime hunting grounds for car thieves. If it isn’t people stealing whole vehicles, then it’s criminals trolling these areas for wheels or other easily removed parts on specific rides. But some airports are admittedly worse than others, and lately it seems Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has become a hot spot for car theft.
Stolen Tesla runs out of juice during a police chase.
At least according to a report from Fox 5 Atlanta that’s the case. With 95 vehicles already stolen in the airport parking so far in 2024, there’s concern this year could be worse than last. But police have a plan to get the problem under control.
As the report points out, the problem is that thieves have the technology and know-how to program a new key for a vehicle in just five minutes. With vehicles sitting in airport parking for days at a time, that gives them plenty of opportunity to shop for whatever ride they want and boost it.
The immediate plan is to station an Atlanta police officer at every parking garage entrance. Will it be enough to deter car thieves or catch them if they still try stealing vehicles at the airport? We don’t know.
Some on the city council also want to add more cameras. While those won’t physically stop car thieves, they can document their crimes, helping to catch perpetrators.
We sincerely hope police are successful in stopping the car thieves. Just as important, we hope prosecutors in Atlanta don’t drop charges or reduce them to a slap on the wrist. Car thieves need to face tough consequences or the problem will never improve.
From higher insurance rates to a lack of available parts thanks to repairs for recovered vehicles, everyone is feeling the pinch even if their car hasn’t been stolen.
Image via Fox 5 Atlanta
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