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DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A military veteran didn't get the welcome he expected when he moved into his new home.
Roland Anthony said he chose his DeKalb County neighborhood because he wanted to be near the VA Hospital and it seemed safe. He even checked the crime stats. But within weeks, he was calling 911 to report a home invasion.
Anthony's home surveillance caught three people roaming around his front yard, peering through the windows and checking the door. It also caught the same three people wandering through his backyard. That's when he heard a large window smash.
"I heard glass break and said that's one of my windows, so I ran downstairs," said Anthony.
He said he saw the man inside his house open the door, apparently to let in his companions, but either Anthony or the alarm scared them and they took off running.
"He was going to open the door for the other two and the alarm triggered," said Anthony.
Anthony said his house had been vacant for a while until he moved in. He thinks the trio live nearby and saw him move in and decided to strike before he was settled in, catching him off guard.
"I brought a U-Haul here to move in, so they knew I was here," said Anthony.
Anthony said it took two days to get his window replaced. With a broken window he didn't want to leave his home. At night he slept on the floor near the window, with a light on, just to make sure they wouldn't come back. He said if they did, he would find some way to defend himself.
Anthony said one of his neighbors also had a break-in shortly after he moved in last month. DeKalb County Police said it's possible someone could be watching moving trucks and decide to target the new homeowners, or it could be just a crime of opportunity, they're still investigating.