Attempted Pedestrian Robbery Near East Lake MARTA Thwarted

Mid-summer saw anxiety raised around Decatur and Oakhurst after a series of brazen, face-to-face crimes including carjackings, and a playground robbery in which a suspect fired a gun into the air.

The new school year brought the armed robbery of three Decatur High School students as they left a home Friday football game.

Crime is just a reality of living in metro Atlanta and cell phone robberies are a nationwide problem because high end cell phones can very easily be turned into cash and cell phones are not automatically traceable. Intelligence in the law enforcement community suggests these phones are often sold to “fencing” operations and sent out of the country based on the international demand for iPhones and similar high-end electronics.

Thieves are simply looking for opportunities where they can find someone with an iPhone and take it with little resistance. With that in mind, Decatur Police Sgt. Jennifer Ross sent out the following on Thursday:

On 09/17/13 at approximately 12:25 am, Decatur Police responded to an attempted robbery. The victim stated at approximately 11:30 pm (09/16/13) he exited the East Lake Marta station and was walking through the parking lot to the intersection of East Lake Drive and Park Place when he noticed a male following him and trying to get closer. Upon reaching the intersection, the suspect ran up to him and repeatedly said “Give me you phone!” The suspect held his hand in the waistband of his pants insinuating he had a weapon. The victim put his phone in his pocket and refused. The suspect withdrew his hand from his waistband, stretched out his arm and with his fingers mimicked having a gun and again demanded the phone. The victim could see the suspect did not have a gun in his hand and “bowed up” at the suspect who then turned and fled on foot back toward the East Lake Marta station. The victim continued walking home and called police. No weapon was seen. The victim was not injured. No items were taken. The suspect was described as a black male, 19-23 years old, approximately 5’6 and 140 lbs, no noticeable facial hair, hair in dreds approximately 3” long, wearing a white crew neck t-shirt, jeans and black shoes. 

In March, a woman told Decatur police two men robbed her around midnight one evening as she walked away from the East Lake Marta Station.

To try and limit possible opportunities where you could be victimized by pedestrian crime, see these suggestions from the Decatur Police Department.