South Fulton police sent a strong message to street racers Saturday, confiscating four vehicles and charging 33 people after using drones to observe racing activity.
The City of South Fulton Police Department Special Operations Division and Field Operations Division conducted a detail following reports of racing on Purdue Drive off Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
“We rely on 911 calls from residents and business owners in the community to tip us off about street racing activity,” said Special Operations Capt. Brendan.
“We also utilize other assorted intelligence sources.”
South Fulton Police Department’s Drone Unit deployed a drone and confirmed street racing was occurring in the area.
Officers converged on the location as Fulton County police flew a helicopter overhead to contain the scene and 30 vehicles on Purdue Drive.
O’Neil said the team employs different forms of technology to identify people involved in street racing to capture license plates and vehicle and driver descriptions.
From there, the police department then uses the information to charge people for the crimes at the time or later when the investigation is complete.
“The helicopter is used to observe the illegal activity and to follow vehicles once they attempt to flee from responding officers,” O’Neil said.
Police charged one person with racing and 32 others with loitering.
Four vehicles were impounded, a stolen firearm was recovered and .75 ounces of marijuana was seized as well.
“Street racing is a serious issue in metro Atlanta,” O’Neil said.
“Not only is it a nuisance to the surrounding community, but it is also very dangerous. There have been many instances where spectators have been hit by vehicles, where street racers have crashed when attempting to flee from law enforcement and where officers have been injured by the fleeing vehicles.”
In April, the South Fulton Police Department arrested more than 90 people and confiscated 45 cars at a street racing event on Naturally Fresh Boulevard.
