In these cases, the dispute usually isn’t whether a crime occurred—it’s whether the property had reason to anticipate the risk and whether it responded reasonably.
For residents in Perry, that often looks like:
- Repeated problems at the same location (prior calls, complaints, or incident reports)
- Security systems that existed “on paper,” but weren’t working when needed (broken lighting, nonfunctional cameras, access controls not enforced)
- Foot traffic patterns that owners should anticipate (evenings, weekends, and times when people are coming and going)
Under Georgia negligence principles, property owners and businesses are generally expected to act reasonably in light of what they knew or should have known. If the harm was foreseeable and reasonable precautions weren’t taken, liability may be possible.


