Posted: 9:51 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011
Theft Ring Targets Apple Stores In Million-Dollar Scam; Tot's Blood Alcohol Was .27; Anderson Cooper Attacked In Cairo (VIDEO); Most Bank Bailout Money Repaid
By Veronica Waters
- A New York-based theft ring targets Apple stores in Atlanta and nationwide. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance says the ring, headed up by four brothers, bought stolen credit card numbers and recruited shoppers to buy a million dollars worth of electronics and accessories--laptops, iPods, iPads, and more. They were so successful, one guy branched off to start his own theft syndicate, and a ringleader taught his girlfriend how to keep the scheme going while he was behind bars. Police began arresting 27 suspects Tuesday.
- We've learned how much booze a four-year-old Alpharetta girl had in her system before she died. Shakira Decelian's blood alcohol level was .27--three times the legal limit for an adult. Police are probing the possibility that her father and aunt, who are from Haiti, may have fed her rum. They're charged with her murder.
- Parts of far north Georgia could see wintry precipitation sometime between Thursday night and Saturday morning. If a sleet/rain mix makes its way into metro Atlanta, locations impacted will most likely be west and north of I-285. North of Cedartown to Athens, there could be some accumulation.
- With 20 inches of snow on the ground in Chi-Town, you can see why some 1,200 flights through Hartsfield-Jackson were canceled Wednesday. Thousands of flights across the country were scapped due to a massive blizzard that stretched from the Rockies to New England.
- In a vote strictly along party lines, a Republican effort to repeal the year-old health care law has ended in defeat, 51-47. Democratic Florida Senator Bill Nelson is urging the Supreme Court to quickly take up challenges to the year-old health care law.
- The 2010 Census shows racial minorities accounted for roughly 85 percent of the nation's population growth over the last decade, and Hispanics accounted for much of the gain in many of the states picking up new House seats. The number of Americans identifying as multiracial jumped 20% over the past 10 years.
- Military tanks move into place in Cairo in an effort to stop pro- and anti-government demonstrators from fighting, firebombing and stone-throwing. Three people have been killed by gunfire in Cairo's central square. CNN's Anderson Cooper and his camera crew were attacked in the melee, and Cooper says he was hit at least 10 times. Finally, some good Samaritans whisked them away to a hiding spot near the central square. Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is resisting calls for him to step down immediately.
- Gwinnett County Police alert other metro Atlanta police agencies to lookout for some lunch-hour thieves. One of the most recent cases involves a 95-year-old resident of an assisted living center in Lawrenceville who had her credit cards stolen; the crooks racked up $4,500 in charges. The suspects are described as black women in their 30s or 40s who apparently sneak into businesses during lunchtime, looking for purses that are unsecured.
- Authorities say a new 911 system in Sandy Springs allows dispatchers to have quick access to more information about callers such as their medical history or children's ages and descriptions. Smart 911 also offers the ability to transmit photographs, which could be helpful if a child goes missing. Residents can sign up for the free program on the city's website.
- A Starbucks drive-thru theft lands four teenagers $20 in tips and some time in jail. The four snatched the tip jar from a Starbucks on Cobb Parkway Saturday, but were chased and pulled over by an Acworth cop who happened to be inside at the time. Police suspect these were the same ones who tried to grab a tip jar from a Kennsaw store window earlier, but since that one was tied down, they didn't get anything.
- The issue of Sunday alcohol sales in Georgia is headed to the Senate floor after a proposal to let local voters decide the matter breezed through committee on Wednesday. Although religious groups oppose the idea, everyone who addressed the committee agreed that communities should make their own choices.
- Update on your money: most of the cash loaned to big banks in the big bailout is now back in the U. S. Treasury. The government loaned out $245 billion in TARP funds to banks; all but $2 billion has been paid back, and Treasury expects a profit of nearly $20 million in interest. Taxpayers are still on the hook for some of the billions paid to bailout car makers and AIG.
- The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: cloudy skies, 30% (north) to 50% (south) chance of drizzle or a rain and sleet mix; rain mixed with sleet or snow is likely tonight with a high today of 42, lows tonight 31-34. Friday's high will be around 37, with a wintry mix north of the airport, more rain south of the airport, becoming mostly rain to start off the weekend.
© 2013 Cox Media Group. By using this website,
you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices
.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi
Corporation. © 2012 Rovi Corporation
You're Almost Done!
Select a display name and password
{* #socialRegistrationForm *} {* socialRegistration_displayName *} {* socialRegistration_emailAddress *} {* traditionalRegistration_password *} {* traditionalRegistration_passwordConfirm *}Tell us about yourself
{* registration_firstName *} {* registration_lastName *} {* registration_postalZip *} {* registration_birthday *} {* registration_gender *} {* agreeToTerms *}