Burglars Hit Midtown Clothing Boutique, Again
eModa Owner Fed Up With Crime, Vows To Leave Atlanta
POSTED: 8:54 pm EST November 21,
2009
UPDATED: 8:32 am EST November 22,
2009
ATLANTA -- At 6:30 a.m. Saturday, eModa, a high-end clothing boutique in Midtown, was hit for the fifth time by burglars.The latest smash-and-grab has the store's owner thinking about closing up shop and taking his business elsewhere.“I blame security in the building of that complex and the police department," Dan Kogan said. "They have a camera right in front across the street aiming at my complex and my store and they are not quick enough, they are not preventing it. There is not enough going on preventing this from happening, they are not scaring these guys at all, they are not catching enough people."eModa was hit twice in May and again in July. After the attempted burglary in July, two men were arrested after crashing their vehicle into a building and other cars.Atlanta Police said the men, identified as Dominique Copeland, 21, and Quantavious Guffie, 18, are part of the blue jean theft crew that targeted eModa boutique in Midtown and others across the area.Shortly after Saturday's robbery, police found a vehicle in southeast Atlanta. Inside the car, they found thousands of dollars in stolen jeans and shirts. Police would not comment about how the car was found so quickly after the burglary or why the merchandise was abandoned.Officers returned the clothes to the boutique around 11 a.m. on Saturday.In other break-ins, the thieves broke through a back door. This time, they went right through the front door of the business that sits on a busy stretch of West Peachtree Street.“They were bold this time,” said Krista Norman. Norman works two businesses down. “It’s surprising that is in this area right here and it is supposed to be patrolled because it is in the Georgia Tech area so how can they just come through the front door.”eModa’s owner is asking the same question and has some strong words for the Atlanta Police Department.“These guys are pathetic, all of them are pathetic, the police force down there that is supposed to be doing a good job, they are all pathetic in my eyes. I am thinking about getting out of Atlanta, it is not worth my time. I am pulling out as fast as possible. I didn’t open up a business to get robbed so many times, I’m pissed and mad, this is ridiculous,” said Kogan.Kogan has a wrought iron gate installed at both entrances to the store, but the thieves were able to knock it over. He says he can’t install a better gate to seal off the entire building because the people who own the property will not let him install it.He estimates he has lost $100,000 over the past six months. Jeans at the store cost upwards of $200. Police are not saying how much merchandise was recovered from this mornings break-in. They are reviewing in store surveillance video.
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