Editor’s Note: Last year, The Red & Black began compiling crime data to create an online crime map. For this series, featured on Tuesdays, we took that crime data and found the 10 most crime-ridden streets in Athens Clarke-County. With Jan. 1 as our starting date, we tallied the crimes. Though crime is always happening, and the list may change over time, we continue with Highland Park Drive.

With colorful houses, nicely manicured lawns and empty streets, Highland Park Drive may remind you of your grandmother’s neighborhood. But never would you guess it has been the site of 20 reported crimes since January.

When describing the area, most residents use the same adjective: quiet.

Al Byrnes discusses crime on his home street. Photo by WES BLANKENSHIP

However, with seven burglaries, seven thefts, three assaults and three batteries this year alone, it appears there may be more lurking below the surface.

The street, located off Cedar Shoals Drive, is composed mainly of rental properties with both student and non-student residents.

Despite the high crime rates, resident Al Byrnes, a mathematics major from Snellville, described Highland Park as “totally safe.”

“We’re far enough away from campus to where it’s like our own little enclave over here,” he said. “Its college kids and kind of lower income families, and we’re just a community.”

When presented with the crime statistics, Byrnes responded, “No way man. Not my home. Life’s easy out here.”

Even Will Johnson, a geography major who had a generator stolen off the porch of his Highland Park home earlier this year, said the area is “pretty quiet.”

When asked about crime, Johnson simply said, “I haven’t noticed any.”

However, Highland Park Drive has been labeled a “hot spot” for crime and receives extra police attention as a result, said Athens-Clarke County Maj. Carter Greene.

“We don’t have the man power for someone to be there all the time,” Greene said. “It was a hot spot for a while, so we put more [officers] out there. It will slow down for a while once we get the right people locked up.”

Rico Holt, a four-year Highland Park resident, said he has noticed the increased police presence.

“It’s a good thing though,” he said. “Cause I know they had a lot of break-ins over on that end a couple years ago when I first got here… I don’t feel safe here but it hasn’t happened yet.”

Greene said Highland Park is not alone in dealing with a high number of property crimes. Instead, it is just a part of a larger problem area.

“Residential burglaries are occurring all over the country,” he said. “We’ve had problems with property crimes up and down Cedar Shoals.”

Despite these crime issues, Highland Park Drive’s quiet, suburban appearance has lulled many residents into a false sense of security.

University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson said students all to often fail to understand the possibility of crime in their neighborhoods.

“I would tell people to never assume where you live is perfectly safe,” he said. “People can’t always judge by how it appears. I would encourage you to look around, not just your house, but also canvas the area before moving in. Too often people get tunnel vision and look just at the house and not what’s going on around it.”

Police are able to respond to crimes after they occur, but they can’t force residents to take precautions.

Greene said it’s the residents’  job to take measures to help prevent crimes from happening — the residents must take responsibility for their own safety.

Among other things, Greene suggested residents could be active in setting up neighborhood watches, getting to know the neighbors, locking doors and installing alarm systems.

“It takes a combined effort of all these things in order to help us be successful in keeping crime from happening in the first place,” he said.

Police Report