Georgia Tech student robbed overnight as police step up patrols
ATLANTA - Georgia Tech and Atlanta police are investigating the fourth robbery involving Georgia Tech students in the last two weeks.
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The latest incident happened just after 2:30 am Thursday morning when police said a student was robbed near 15th and State Streets. Investigators said the armed suspect got away with the victim's laptop and wallet. It's unclear if it is connected to the other robberies or if the victim was a student.
Meanwhile, Atlanta Police told FOX 5 News they are teaming up with other agencies and deploying additional resources to put a stop to a robbing crew believed responsible the recent robberies of Georgia Tech students.
Atlanta Police Chief Erica Shields said they have had 10 incidents since Jan. 10 and have strong leads as to who the criminals may be, but the trick is to find them.
Georgia Tech student Himanshu Mangla said Wednesday he is still shaken after not one but two robberies near and in front of his home on Snyder Street.
“Where that car is that’s where her car was parked. She’s screaming, ‘Help, help! He has a gun,’” said Mangla as he pointed to the spot where a woman was robbed just a few feet from his front door.
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Another incident happened further down the street just a few days ago, the one in front of the home a few weeks ago.
“The suspects I described and the suspects I saw in the police report for the most recent one it’s the same guys,” said Mangla.
Atlanta Police believe the same guys are responsible for a series of robberies in late December, January, and early February.
They include two robberies on Snyder, another one on Atlantic Drive, where four Tech students were robbed, and a robbery on 16th Street where two more students were robbed.
RELATED: Search for two men who robbed Georgia Tech students
Major Darin Schierbaum said the robbers are young.
“Middle to late teens, black males that are committing the majority of the robberies,” said Major Schierbaum.
The major said Atlanta officers are focusing on this specific robbing crew by sharing resources and information with Georgia Tech Police.
“Georgia Tech Police is very engaged. They’re very involved, they’re providing patrol resources, investigative resources,” said Major Schierbaum.
APD also teamed up with the Georgia State Patrol to find mostly stolen cars used in the series of Georgia Tech student robberies.
The collaborative effort was welcome news among students who live near one of the crime scenes.
“I think I’ll tell my parents and I think they’ll be more relieved, more relieved yeah,” said Georgia Tech student Sheingki Li.
RELATED: Third armed robbery of GA Tech student in 2 weeks
However, APD admits once they put a halt to this most recent robbing crew targeting Georgia Tech students another could appear.
“Some of them that we arrest you’re going to find we’ve arrested many times,” said Major Schierbaum.
Georgia Tech student Himanshu Mangla isn’t convinced the robberies are over.
“There is this one crew that has been operating on this street but there’s always going to be another guy trying to take money from college students right?” said Mangla.
Major Shierbaum said Atlanta Police went public with this collaborative law enforcement effort to let the community know of some of their plans, adding a there is also a lot of law enforcement efforts going on out of the public eye.