Investigations are underway in Habersham County, where there have been reports of homeless individuals being transported and left on private property without the owners' consent. As FOX 5 Atlanta reports, local police are trying to identify a person believed to be importing homeless people into the county. This act not only trespasses on private lands but also endangers the well-being of these individuals, according to law enforcement.
During attempts to glean information, the Cornelia Police Chief, Jonathan Roberts, stated, “There’s supposedly a male, whose race I’m not sure of, that is going out of county and bringing people in,” in an interview obtained by Now Habersham. Additionally, there have been sightings of a woman or a group of women delivering food to the drop-off points, raising questions about the organization and intentions behind these actions.
Local property owners have voiced their distress regarding the situation. The unintended encampments have brought on a slew of issues ranging from sanitation to property damage. According to Now Habersham, Chief Roberts, "Business owners are having to clean up trash from homeless campsites,” with reports of litter, such as uneaten food and discarded sanitary products, becoming a common concern.
Many of the homeless people encountered by police are often seen across various unauthorized sites within the city. “We deal with the same five or six people at different locations on a daily basis," Chief Roberts said, highlighting the pattern in which these individuals appear. Some of them have hinted at being transported there, but details are scant on how they specifically came to be in Habersham County.
The Cornelia Police Department is reaching out to the community for assistance. They request that anyone with relevant information contact them directly or use the city's tip line. The department is also pointing citizens towards established organizations for directing their charitable efforts, stressing the importance of lawful and coordinated assistance for those in need.
