Take Control of Securing and Locating Portable Assets

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA -- A Metro Atlanta homebuilder is striking back after months of playing victim to thieves.

Like other home builders, Patrick Lockman is struggling with a challenging economy. As if that wasn't bad enough, thieves have made him a frequent target in recent months.

An empty spot beside one of his homes in Rockdale County represents the air conditioning unit stolen just a few days ago. It is the tenth unit stolen from one of Lockman's homes since the beginning of the year. It gets worse.

"We've had carpet ripped out of houses," said Lockman. "They're finished houses. We go in the next morning, and the carpet would be gone."

His losses total $30-to-$50,000. After months of rip offs, Patrick Lockman decided it was time to declare war.

Score one for the victim.

On Wednesday, thieves took an air conditioning unit from a home in Newton County. Without realizing it, they took a little more than they'd bargained for. Inside the unit, Lockman had placed a GPS device. When the device -- and the air conditioning unit -- moved, Lockman got an alert on his cell phone.

"I got on the computer, logged in, and was able to see it had moved a couple of counties," said Lockman.

"I got on the computer, logged in, and was able to see it had moved a couple of counties," said Lockman.

Like a cry for help, the GPS device provided Lockman with an address. On his computer, he called up a satellite picture of a building in DeKalb County. He notified police, who found not just one air conditioning unit, but another stolen from one of Lockman's homes three months ago.

Dekalb police have identified two suspects, and are now in the process of drawing up warrants. Inside the building where Lockman's property was found, police also found other items related to the home building business. Detectives are now trying to determine if those items were stolen.

Lockman said he has been baiting his AC units with GPS for awhile, and was beginning to think he would never get a bite.

"It finally worked out for us," said Lockman. "It worked out big."

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