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Atlanta · APD · metro counties
Atlanta break-ins, porch theft, and home security
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told Atlanta News First on January 20, 2026 that the city recorded 98 homicides in 2025 versus 171 in 2022. That is progress. It is not a reason to leave the garage unlocked on a Tuesday in Grant Park while you sit downtown.
What Chief Darin Schierbaum told Atlanta News First on January 20, 2026
Citywide, homicides were 98 in 2025 versus 171 in 2022 — 43% down, and under 100 for the first time since 2019. Overall crime was down 7%. Those are citywide Atlanta Police figures. They mix Midtown, West End, Buckhead, and Grant Park. A quieter street is not 24/7 monitoring, and a neighbor on the porch is not an ADT operator.
The same briefing noted aggravated assaults and robberies were up year over year. Car break-ins were down about 15%. Direction on homicides is real. Property crime here is still porch packages, break-ins, and houses that sit empty after drop-off.
Porch packages on Inman Park, Grant Park, and Virginia-Highland stoops
Walkable strips are why people add a doorbell. Inman Park, Grant Park, and Virginia-Highland collect boxes on stoops while owners are at work, on I-85, or downtown. A camera you check yourself is useful. It is not the same as ADT calling you when a door opens.
The system is for the hours no one is looking out the window — not a claim that Buckhead is dangerous.
Empty houses after school drop-off
Atlanta Public Schools drop-off empties in-city two-stories. Fulton County Schools, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, City Schools of Decatur, and Marietta City Schools empty the suburbs until pickup. A trip out of Hartsfield empties the same doors. That is when people want the system armed.
What people actually order after a missing package or a leftover keypad
Door and window sensors, including the garage. A doorbell camera if packages sit out front. Outdoor cameras if the driveway holds a car overnight. Cellular backup so the panel still reaches ADT when Georgia Power drops. That is the Atlanta order, not a twelve-camera quote unless you ask for one.
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Source: Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum interview with Atlanta News First, January 20, 2026 (98 homicides in 2025 vs 171 in 2022, 43% down, under 100 first time since 2019; overall crime down 7%; aggravated assaults and robberies up year over year; car break-ins down ~15%). Numbers change. We cite the date.
Is Atlanta “safe enough” to skip monitoring?
Homicides were down in that 2026 briefing. Porch theft and empty houses did not take the year off. Monitoring is for the hours you commute, fly out of Hartsfield, or leave for school drop-off — not a verdict on your ZIP.
Do quieter streets like Buckhead still order ADT?
Yes. Buckhead, Virginia-Highland, Sandy Springs, and Alpharetta orders are usually school-day empties, leftover keypads, and packages on the stoop. Same ADT watch as East Atlanta. Independent cities are not Atlanta Police. We name the desk from the ZIP.
Will Atlanta Police come if the alarm trips?
ADT can request help based on the alert type. Inside the City of Atlanta that is typically Atlanta Police. Sandy Springs, Cobb, Marietta, Gwinnett, and other cities dispatch differently. Confirm the office from your ZIP. City addresses still file the free permit.