String of break-ins reported at metro Atlanta storage facilities this month

ATLANTA — A string of break-ins at storage across the metro Atlanta area are highlighting an increase in the amount of break-ins at similar facilities.

Channel 2′s Matt Johnson spoke with one woman who lost several family heirlooms who says thieves were able to get in without even having to break the lock.

“We just got a call that our unit had been robbed,” Ellen McCormack said.

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Pictures of family jewelry are all McCormick has left of the pieces of jewelry. She told Johnson she had the heirlooms in a storage facility while she traveled back and forth between Atlanta and California.

McCormick said someone pried the door open around the lock.

“It was locked and we had the big lock that we purchased from them, and the unit was broken in with the lock still in place,” she said.

According to Atlanta police, at least three more break-ins were reported at the Public Storage on Monroe Drive in November. Records also show that the Extra Space Storage on Lindbergh Drive also reported two break-ins.

A spokesperson with Extra Space Storage says those break-ins are the first at their location since 2019. They add that state of the art security is in place at all of their facilities.

Johnson reached out to Public Storage in reference to the Monroe Drive location, but did not hear back.

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Jonathan Sirko is a former Gwinnett County police officer who now owns a private security firm, Sirko & Associates.

“They’re not as secured as you think they should be,” said Sirko.

He says there are several things every customer should be looking for when picking a storage facility.

“A facility that has video surveillance, perimeter fencing, electronic access and facility that uses security locks, that makes it a little bit harder for people to come off locks on the doors,” Sirko explained.

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Channel 2 Action News reported on a string of break-ins at storage facilities in metro Atlanta in 2019. Then, the break-ins were happening each month.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Clayton County officer, 2 women, suspect dead after shootout at domestic call, police say Field Training Officer Henry Laxson is the third north Georgia police officer killed in the line of duty since November.

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