Nearly 1,000 firearms stolen from cars in Atlanta this year

ATLANTA - Atlanta police said nearly a thousand firearms have been stolen from vehicles this year.

Investigators said a safe or lockbox could be the simple solution to this recurring problem. Police said this message isn’t new, but they keep echoing it because it keeps happening. They said car owners shouldn’t leave any valuable items in their vehicles, especially not guns.

The coronavirus hit wallets hard and reports indicate an increase in firearm sales, as many Americans felt the pressure of the pandemic.

Police said that a combination of desperation for funds and anxiety to protect one's property could be dangerous.

The most recent plea on Atlanta Police Department’s Facebook page reads "Help us keep our community safe by securing your gun with a gun safe or a cable gun lock."

"We don’t want to see these items in the hands of criminals," Officer Anthony Grant said.

More than 900 firearms stolen from cars in the city of Atlanta.

Police said that was the case last year as well, but at this rate, with just over a month left in the year, they’re concerned the crime is increasing.

"We know people will do more shopping for the holidays; Christmas, Thanksgiving, and leave some of those bags in their car," Officer Grant said.

Last year, 988 firearms were stolen from cars across the city, just shy of a thousand.

Investigators said they’re pressing the issue in an attempt to prevent the statistic from surpassing itself.

Police have ongoing campaigns on social media to curb that number that they said remains high. They encourage everyone to double and triple-check their doors before heading inside.