Cobb Police Precinct 4 has lost its criminal investigations leader but his successor has local ties.
Lt. Nathan McCreary is the new commander of the East Cobb precinct’s criminal investigations unit. He’s a Walton High School graduate and also attended Dickerson Middle School.
He succeeds Brian Kitchens, who been promoted from lieutenant to captain and is now the assistant commander in Precinct 2 in South Cobb.
McCreary, an Air Force veteran and graduate of Kennesaw State University, will mark his 20th year as a member of Cobb Police next month.
He has served in a number of capacities with Cobb Police, and for the last two years he has served as the Precinct 4 morning watch commander.
McCreary also spent five years in media relations and is a crisis negotiator.
In February, Kitchens briefed East Cobb business leaders about the number of car break-ins being on the rise in Precinct 4.
In the most recent statistics, a total of 340 break-ins have been reported in the county since March 1, 29 of them in Precinct 4.
Here’s what police are saying about all this, and what break-in thieves are looking for:
“There are two main areas where these entering autos occur. Most occurrences happen at the victim’s residence as the vehicle is parked in a driveway. These cases are usually crimes of opportunity committed by ‘door flippers.’ Basically, a group of criminals enter a subdivision overnight and walk through the neighborhood flipping door handles to see if a vehicle is unlocked. If it is locked, they move on. Of course, if the vehicle is unlocked, the criminals ransack the interior and collect any items of value. These thieves are looking for cash, electronics, credit cards, and guns.
“The other location these entering autos are occurring is fitness centers. Criminals are often savvy and know most people don’t like bringing valuables into a gym for fear of having their valuables lost or stolen. Therefore, many leave their valuables in the cab of their vehicles. This is a prime location for thieves to target. A quick smashed window and the criminals have access to purses, wallets, laptops, etc.”
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