Task force working on problem of car thefts at Hartsfield-Jackson airport
ATLANTA - The number of cars stolen from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is staggering. The total has spiked to more than 300 this year alone.
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City officials and airport vendors recently held an Atlanta Airport Atrium Vendor Task Force meeting to address how the city is tackling the problem.
"At the beginning of the year, we saw an increase in auto thefts," Atlanta Police Major Kelly Collier revealed.
Major Collier faces the difficult task of stopping thieves who can make keys in just five minutes and steal cars from Hartsfield-Jackson while passengers are away on flights.
The embarrassing problem has led to more than 300 cars being stolen from parking decks this year, compared to just 95 in 2023.
Major Collier says advancements in technology are fueling the surge in thefts.
"You can buy that equipment on the internet, Amazon. It's a small device you plug into the reader under the dashboard, and you can program a key fob within five minutes," Collier said.
The Atlanta Airport Atrium Taskforce is working to solve the heavily publicized problem.
"We have over 35,000 parking spaces at the airport. A couple of them [thieves] in a car, they start the car, create the key, and then drive out. They will tailgate the car they came in with," Major Collier explained.
In response, airport officials have introduced measures to combat the thefts. Time limits for drivers in parking decks without paying have been reduced to 15 minutes. Anti-tailgating equipment is being tested, additional cameras and personnel are in place, and motorbikes will soon be deployed.
"We purchased two motorcycles. Those officers should finish training today, actually, so they can get in and out of the decks quickly with the motorcycles," Major Collier said.
The major also emphasized that car manufacturers have a role to play in solving the problem.
"It's a manufacturing issue that has now become a law enforcement issue," Collier said.
With upgraded cameras and anti-tailgating equipment set to be implemented soon, officials are hopeful the theft numbers will start to decline.