CENTERVILLE, Ga. — Homeowners in a Centerville neighborhood are raising concerns about a homeless encampment in nearby woods, citing safety issues and alleged criminal activity.
13WMAZ spoke to several homeowners from the neighborhood, many of them requesting anonymity.
People along the affected street near the intersection of Cedar Glen Court and Willow Glen report hearing gunshots, witnessing break-ins, and feeling unsafe in their own community. They say the issue remains, even after calling law enforcement.
"Mainly because of the situation with the homeless," Missie Ayer, a Centerville resident, said. "They're shooting at night. We don't know why or at who, we just know that there are shootings."
Ayer and her neighbors say the encampment has brought crime and fear to their once-quiet neighborhood.
"They're breaking into people's homes and they're stealing stuff out of our yards," Ayer said, "And we can't leave our garage open because they just walk right in."
Some residents have taken matters into their own hands, venturing into the woods to document the camp. They claim to have found evidence of drug use and weapons.
One of the residents shared over a dozen photos with 13WMAZ showing several tents and what appeared to be drug paraphernalia.
"The guys had taken pictures of drug paraphernalia," John Snyder, another Centerville resident, said. "It looked like he might have been making meth."
Residents said they were frustrated with what they perceive as a lack of action from local authorities. They report receiving conflicting information when seeking help.
"We got four different stories on Monday about the one situation we were trying to get handled," Ayer said.
The ongoing issues have led some homeowners to consider forming their own neighborhood watch to patrol the area.
"If the police can't patrol this area because of limited resources," Snyder said. "Maybe some of the neighbors can have additional authority to do so."
Residents are now calling for decisive action from city officials to address the situation.
"What we want as a neighborhood is for them to actually put into action," Ayer said. "They need to, as a city council, find a place to put these homeless people."
The affected homeowners say they plan to attend upcoming city council meetings to voice their concerns and push for a solution to this ongoing issue. They plan to attend the meeting on Oct. 1.
When reached for comment, the Centerville Police Department stated they were unavailable to discuss the matter at the time of reporting.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents remain hopeful that their concerns will be addressed, insisting that there is a need for a collaborative approach between the community and local authorities to ensure safety.