ATLANTA — A home invasion in southwest Atlanta on Thursday night has two sisters vowing to upgrade their home security and arm themselves in case the teenage intruders return.
The victims tell Channel 2 Action News that an armed juvenile kicked in a door at a house on Lawton Street Southwest at around 10:45 p.m. while five other juveniles acted as lookouts. %
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An 18-year-old woman was inside, according to two other residents of the home who did not want to be identified.
The 18-year-old hid in a back room and dialed 911 after one person got inside the house.
"It's very heartbreaking to know that our lives were in danger," one victim said. "And that now in turn we have to buy firearms so that we can protect ourselves."
Another sister came home minutes after the burglars got inside and attempted to chase them in her car as they ran toward a wooded area across the street.
"If I did not show up, I don't know what could have happened," she said. "The only reason they ran away was because I said, 'What are y'all doing?'" %
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She said she followed them in her car until they fired three shots into the air.
"I guess that was a warning shot, like, 'Don't try and see (where) we're going,'" she said.
No injuries were reported to Atlanta police but the victims reported that the thieves made off with a MacBook laptop.
Some neighbors said they were surprised to learn of thieves breaking into a house while someone was inside.
"I think they were bold and stupid because that meant they didn't really know what was going on," said Marveleen James, who lives across the street. "They probably didn't think anyone was home."
The victims said they spent $1,400 on Friday to install security doors and upgrade their locks. One sister said she also plans to purchase a gun in case the thieves return.
"We may have to shoot somebody," she said. "(That is) somebody's son, somebody's daughter, and we don't want to have to do that, but enough is enough."
The intruders are described as between the ages of 15 and 17. They were last seen wearing dark hoodies. One was wearing sweatpants with the letters "King" on a pants leg, according to a victim.