Marlo Hampton and the mother of one of rapper Future’s children are among the victims of a series of recent home burglaries in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star describes the July 1 burglary attempt on Wednesday and says she and at least one of her two live-in teenage cousins were at home when armed, masked men kicked in her door.
“When I heard the bang, when I heard my cousin scream — and I knew that scream was a scream of fear — my heart dropped,” Hampton told WSB-TV.
She said she went to a panic room and called 9-1-1, but the suspects fled before the police arrived, probably because they heard screams.
“I thank God, and we’re covered in the blood of Jesus, and I’m here to share this story with you,” she said.
“But my main concern is that I want all the ladies – I want everyone – to be aware when you post items. If you have luxury items, be careful.”
Hampton, 46, has cared for her sister’s sons – Michael, 15, and William, 13 – for years while their mother deals with personal issues.
The “RHOA” star’s home invasion comes nine months after fellow Bravolebrity – “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Dorit Kemsley – was robbed at gunpoint in her Encino, California mansion.
However, the Sandy Springs Police Department (SSPD) believes the men who broke into Hampton’s home are members of a gang involved in at least 15 home invasions that primarily targeted celebrities in the area.
On Sunday morning, SSPD agents rounded up and arrested four alleged members of the gang as they attempted to break into the mansion of the mother of one of Future’s eight children, whose identity was not made public.
It’s unclear if anyone was home at the time, but officers were reportedly keeping an eye on the woman’s property pending her potential for a target.
“We’ve been lucky and we’re right,” said Sgt. Matt McGinnis told WSB-TV, adding that he and his team have been working “at least a year” on an in-depth investigation into the gang’s past.
McGinnis said the four suspects in custody have been charged with crimes related to Sunday’s events. However, he believes many more members of the gang are involved in the high-profile invasions.
He added that detectives believe members of the gang may also have broken into rapper Gunna’s DeKalb County home, but he did not specify when the break-in occurred.
Gunna, along with fellow rapper Young Thug, was arrested in May on gang charges as part of a mass indictment that identified 26 other people with ties to his record label as members of the same gang called Young Slime Life.
Gunna representatives did not immediately respond to Vidak For Congress’s requests for comment.