Atlanta, GA
Over 300 cars stolen from Atlanta airport parking lots so far this year
Car thefts rise drastically at Atlanta airport
Officials say over 300 cars have been stolen from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s parking lots this year. Thieves are able to get away using a method called “tailgating.”
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Police Department has reported an alarming rise in vehicle thefts at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with over 300 cars being stolen from airport parking lots this year. That figure more than tripled what was reported last year.
Officials say thieves have been exploiting a tailgating technique, which involves following closely behind another vehicle when leaving the parking lot in order to slip out undetected once the gate opens. This exact method that Jennifer Powell, a Milton, Florida resident who flew from Atlanta to New York for a short trip with her family, says thieves used to steal her car.
When Powell returned from her trip, she discovered her vehicle was missing from the North Economy Lot.
“It was so heartbreaking when we walked out and my car was gone,” Powell told FOX 5 Atlanta.
Earlier FOX 5 Atlanta reports indicated that perpetrators have been able to reprogram new keys for vehicles in merely five to ten minutes, aiding in their swift thefts. Powell was informed by airport staff that this could be how her car was accessed.
Atlanta City Council member Michael J. Bond, who serves on the city’s airport and vendor committee, stated that the airport has increased its security personnel.
“They’re full-time police officers working part-time at the airport,” Bond explained. “Also, there’s ongoing enhancements to the video monitoring system at the airport, which has been helpful, along with some of the license plate readers that are out there.”
Nevertheless, Bond admits that there is still a significant challenge in preventing thieves from tailgating drivers out of the lots.
“It’s hard because the way that people are exiting, you know, you don’t really know that they’re doing it until they actually are doing it. So, it’s hard to monitor the cars and trying to pick and choose who may be coming out or who may be in a stolen car.”
Georgia, Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, approach aerial view, parking lot and Highway. (Photo by: Jeff Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Powell is skeptical of the improvements, finding it hard to believe that security measures have been significantly enhanced after her experience.
“It just sucks that this happened because we trusted the airport to do their job,” she said.
Powell told FOX 5 Atlanta she would likely never fly out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ever again.
We’ve reached out to officials from the airport and the Atlanta Police Department for comment, and have yet to hear back.
The Source: This is an original report by FOX 5 Atlanta’s Eric Mock.
The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that a major weekend construction project, set to fully shut down two miles of I-285, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Atlantans are relieved, with many looking forward to more freedom to travel this Mothers’ Day weekend. Kim Leoffler has the story.
ATLANTA – An Atlanta flight attendant and mother of eight is among 17,000 Spirit Airlines workers struggling to find a new “destination” after the carrier suddenly shut down.
Spirit Airlines Atlanta impact
What we know:
Spirit Airlines ended all operations on Saturday, grounding its entire fleet and ending employment for its 17,000-person workforce. Flight attendants and customers were stranded across the country, often forced to pay for their own travel home after the discount carrier ceased operations.
Kamille Carter, an Atlanta-based flight attendant of five years, said she received the termination email from the CEO at 3 a.m., despite earlier assurances from union representatives that the company was stable. The company immediately cut healthcare benefits and stopped payments for sick leave and vacation time for all staff members.
Unpaid wages and benefits
What we don’t know:
It is unclear if Carter and her fellow employees will ever receive their final paychecks or if there is any legal recourse for the lost benefits. The company has not specified if any transition assistance will be provided to workers, some of whom had been with the airline since it launched in 1994.
Employee reaction in Georgia
What they’re saying:
“This is a death because you have to mourn, you have to grieve, it’s a process,” Carter said of the sudden job loss. Despite the financial strain of supporting eight children, Carter is looking toward her passion for cooking as a potential new career. She noted that while being uncomfortable is difficult, it can “push you to your destiny.”
Finding help in Atlanta
What you can do:
Community members looking to support Carter and other local workers affected by the shutdown can find more information on the FOX 5 Atlanta website. The station is collecting resources for those navigating the sudden loss of income and healthcare.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX 5 reporter Eric Perry, who spoke directly with former flight attendant Kamille Carter in Atlanta. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
The search for missing 16-year-old Benjamin Braithwaite is over. Atlanta police announced just before midnight Thursday that he had been located, more than a week after he vanished from his Regency Trace home.
The department shared the update on social media but did not release additional details about where he was found or the circumstances surrounding his recovery.
Braithwaite had been missing since the night of April 27, when he was last seen around 9 p.m. at his home in Atlanta. His family said they had no contact with him during the entire time he was gone.
The disappearance of the KIPP Atlanta Collegiate High School sophomore and basketball team member had galvanized the Atlanta community. His family, teammates, Atlanta police officers and neighbors gathered at the school last week to raise awareness about his disappearance. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where his mother works, joined the search effort — asking the public to watch for him at MARTA stops and fast food restaurants.
A $10,000 reward had been offered for credible information leading to his safe return.
“Even small details matter. Your awareness could make the difference,” the airport wrote in an Instagram post earlier this week.
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