Alpharetta group salutes Arbor Day with tree planting

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Residents and city officials joined the Alpharetta Natural Resources Commission to mark Arbor Day at Wills Park March 4.

The group planted a serviceberry tree beside the Alpharetta Community Garden to commemorate the holiday. The native, all-season tree blossoms with flowers and berries beloved by birds.

Urban Forestry Program Manager Will Eberly said the serviceberry tree, which also adorn the median of Old Milton Parkway, is resilient and makes a nice addition to Wills Park.

“Trees promote outdoor recreation which improves human health and well-being and reduces ‘Nature-Deficit Disorder’ in children by encouraging more activity and connection to the natural world,” Natural Resources Commissioner Kate Tunison said in the proclamation.

Parks Supervisor Nate Hand shoveled the first soil to the base of the tree and invited citizens to participate by pouring mulch.

Deborah Eves, owner of Alpharetta Bee Company, joined in, saying she is passionate about tree preservation.

“I came today because I am really proud that Alpharetta cares about trees and supporting our canopy and adding more trees to our city,” Eves said.

City Arborist David Shostak said the event marks the city’s commitment to urban forestry. After the planting, he invited attendees to enjoy the nature of Wills Park to celebrate Arbor Day.

“Keeping our trees and planting more trees enhances our lives and the enjoyment of everybody,” Tunison said.

Heads-up action saves man’s life at Roswell park

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. —The last thing Nick Bogle saw before his heart stopped beating at Roswell Area Park was two people inspecting the park’s automated external defibrillator, or AED.

The 63-year-old Milton resident was walking past the park bathrooms toward his soccer practice Feb. 4 when he experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Within moments, a fellow soccer player and retired fire chief started CPR on him.

When CPR proved ineffective, the pair inspecting the AED acted. Jeff Freemyer, a board member of elder-focused soccer club FC Georgia United, called 911. Alina Waring, an emergency physician administered the AED.

After only a few minutes and a single shock from the defibrillator, Bogle was revived and taken to the hospital by emergency medical services. Bogle spent four days in the hospital where he had an internal cardio defibrillator placed in his heart. If his heart stops again the device will restart it.

Weeks later Bogle is back on his feet, preparing to return to his athletic lifestyle.

“My recovery really is going to be complete because they got to me so quickly,” Bogle said.

The soccer player called the lifesaving measures a “miracle.” Bogle

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Thieves steal vehicle along Gardner Drive

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A woman delivering groceries to her sister at an Alpharetta residence Feb. 13, reported her car was stolen while parked on Gardner Drive.

Police reports said the victim arrived at the home at about 7 p.m., and when she left the house an hour later, her 2016 BMW was missing.

Both the victim and her mother said a suspicious white Toyota Camry carrying several occupants, was seen in the area when she arrived at the residence but was gone when she exited and discovered the theft.

Police officers entered the stolen vehicle’s information in the state database but did not discover any further evidence at the scene.

At the time of the report, no suspect had been identified in the case.

Roswell U-Haul reports theft of rental vehicle

ROSWELL, Ga. — U-Haul on Holcomb Bridge Road reported one of its vehicles stolen on Feb. 22 after discovering the suspect used a fake driver’s license for the rental.

Employees told police the suspect rented the vehicle, valued at $10,000, on Jan. 9.

Company officials said they had tried to contact the suspect about the vehicle but received no response. The store’s regional manager said he thinks the stolen truck now has a different tag on it.

A U-Haul store manager in Florida said he saw a truck with the same equipment number as the stolen vehicle but a different tag than it was registered with.

Police pulled a photo of the suspect from the store’s security cameras, but facial recognition software provided no results.

Multiple vehicle burglaries reported at businesses

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police investigated a series of vehicle burglaries that took place between Feb. 16-18 at businesses throughout the city.

Over the three-day period, five vehicles were reported burglarized, with either with broken windows or unlocked doors. Thieves reportedly stole multiple electronic devices, a handgun, clothing, wallets, credit cards and other items from the vehicles, police reports said.

The vehicles were targeted at the Marriott Hotel and Wild Wing Café on Windward Parkway, the Lifetime Fitness on North Point Parkway, the Benihana restaurant on Mansell Road and the Ruth Chris Steak House restaurant on Haynes Bridge Road. Several of the locations have been previously targeted by thieves for vehicle burglaries.

Several of the burglaries occurred at night and others happened during the day.

In one of the cases, possible suspects driving a white BMW sedan were witnessed but not identified.

Resident reports theft of check from mailbox

ROSWELL, Ga. — On Feb. 21, a resident on Pattingham Drive told Roswell Police a check had been stolen from his mailbox.

The resident had placed the check valued at $88 in his mailbox and put the red flag up. Soon after, he noticed the flag had been moved down.

He reviewed footage from his Ring camera and saw a dark blue Nissan had driven past his house, turned around, stopped by the mailbox and taken the check.

When the car stopped by the mailbox, the passenger window rolled down and footage showed a person’s arm, clad in a light grey long sleeve shirt, reaching out to grab the check. The car then drove off.

The resident has since frozen his bank account and the case remains active.

$24,000 fraud reported at Alpharetta business

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police say that a local business was recently defrauded of more than $24,000 by thieves using a forged check.

The fraud was reported Feb. 16 and police were told a business on Mansell Court in Alpharetta discovered that one of their company checks had been written out to a company called “Jenkins Beds And Mattresses” for $24,685.

The company CEO told police they would not have purchased beds as part of their business, and they have no knowledge of Jenkins Beds And Mattresses. Employees said they do not know how the business’s checking account was compromised.

At the time of the report, no suspect had been identified.