Crime & Safety
Atlanta Thieves Stole Bounce House Equipment, Now Demand Ransom
The owner of JAK Event Rentals says thieves stole $4,000 worth of equipment and are now demanding a ransom of $1,000, according to a report.
COLLEGE PARK, GA — A bouncy house company told police that a customer held thousands of dollars worth of equipment for ransom, WSB-TV reported.
Jasmine Lawrence with JAK Event Rentals told the news station that she was contacted by a man who goes by Thomas Jones, through Facebook Marketplace. The customer paid for the slot, but when workers returned everything was gone. He then texted demanding a ransom.
“They told us where to park, where we can put all of the equipment and the inflatable,” Lawrence told WSB-TV. “It was like an open area behind one of the apartment buildings.”
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The customer filled out the required forms and paid for a six-hour time slot. She said she even recorded them setting up.
She and her team left after agreeing to return at 6 p.m. to pack everything up. About $4,000 worth of equipment was gone when they returned - the generator, blowers - and only the tarp on the ground was left, Lawrence told WSB-TV.
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The customer texted her saying, ‘I hate to give you bad news, but you’re not getting your stuff back.’ They then followed up with, ‘The reason is I felt that you overcharged me,’” Lawrence said.
The thieves said they would get their equipment back if they paid them $1,000.
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