Atlanta Police hunt for suspects in Midtown Atlanta phone and car theft
Police seek people accused of stealing phone, SUV
Atlanta police have started a search for whoever snatched a man's phone while he sat at a busy Midtown Atlanta stop light and ultimately took off in his car. Police confirm this happened on Thursday just before 6 p.m. at the 10th Street and Techwood Drive intersection.
ATLANTA - Atlanta police are on the hunt for suspects who allegedly snatched a man's phone and stole his car while he was stopped at a busy Midtown intersection.
The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of 10th Street and Techwood Avenue.
Snatch theft in Midtown Atlanta
What we know:
According to police, the driver was approached by several individuals selling water. When he rolled down his window to make a donation, one of the suspects grabbed his phone. As the driver exited his vehicle to confront them, one of the suspects jumped into his white Range Rover and drove off.
The stolen vehicle was later found crashed into a front yard in southwest Atlanta, about 4.5 miles from the initial incident.
What we don't know:
The names and descriptions of the teens have not been released.
Stolen car crashed into pole
What they're saying:
A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted the moment she heard the crash. "I was visiting my mom sitting at the kitchen table and I just heard this loud noise," she said.
The woman and her mother rushed outside to find the SUV had collided with their mailbox and a pole. "We ran to the car and there was a neighbor walking down the street, and he got to the car before I did, and he looked in and said, 'There's no one in here,’" she recalled. She suspects the perpetrators may have placed the car in neutral and fled the scene.
Debris from the white Range Rover and the damaged mailbox was scattered across the yard on Thursday. The mailbox holds sentimental value for the family, as it was built by the woman's late father over 60 years ago. "We thank God it was here. There is damage. My mom's mailbox was built by her late husband over 60 years ago, and it's sentimental, but we are going to get it rebuilt," she said.
What's next:
Atlanta police are continuing their search for the suspects, described as boys, teens, or young adults. This incident adds to a series of encounters involving individuals selling water at intersections in the city. "If there's no other takeaway, please be wary," the woman advised.
What you can do:
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Atlanta Police Department.
The Source: FOX 5's Eric Perry spoke with a woman who witnessed the getaway and with the Atlanta Police Department.