Man carjacked while catching nap in mall parking lot

ATLANTA - He was taking a nap at a parking deck at Lenox Square when he awoke to a frightening ordeal.

“He described two young black males said they approached him, one produced a handgun they ordered him to provide the keys to the car and then they directed them to get out of the car,” said Sgt. John Chafee with the Atlanta Police Department.

Sgt. Chafee said the two men fled in a grey 2015 Nissan Juke. One of them he says was wearing a red bandana around his face with all black clothing.

He said the preliminary investigation shows the robbers may have been watching the man snoozing in the Juke which belonged to his friend who was shopping.

“He was in the driver’s seat so they probably thought that he had the keys with him and they’d be able to get the vehicle,” said Sgt. Chafee.

Atlanta area resident Calvin Lee, who shops this retail area, is hopeful they brazen robbers don’t return.

“I just hope we don’t see any more repetition of that,” said Lee.

Atlanta Police told FOX 5 News they have increased patrols in the area as part of an initiative already in place adding another type of patrol to the Lenox Square area.

“Police officers on bicycles in those areas. There’s a lot of traffic that goes through there so this will be something that assists us with covering those parking lots and being a little bit more visible,” said Sgt. Chafee.

It’s a visibility welcomed by residents like Mr. Lee who said the more police protection the better, especially after the carjacking on one of the decks.

“Patrolling is good, monitor the area make sure it’s safe and kind of discourage that kind of a thing from happening,” said Lee.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Atlanta Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS. There could be a $2,000 reward involved and tipsters can remain anonymous.

The gray Juke has a Georgia tag of RIW1863.