'Tissue Bandit' linked to six robberies in two counties

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - Police said a man is robbing metro Atlanta businesses using a bizarre cover, literally. The man is covering his face with a napkin or tissue, faking sickness before showing a gun and robbing the place. As of Thursday, law enforcement said the man hit at least six spots in Gwinnett and Henry counties. Investigators said he might be linked to even more cases in other counties as well.

Henry County Police call him the "Tissue Bandit." Police in both counties said it's been easy to link the same man to the robberies because of the tissue cover, but his demeanor gives him away too.

"He's very calm. All the video we have seen he doesn't look like he panics. He walks in requests money, and nonchalantly walked out and drive away," said Mike Ireland of the Henry County Police Department.

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Officers said in most cases, the man walks in with a napkin over his face. Sometimes, he has told employees he's sick before flashing a gun in his waistband and demanding money. Surveillance video shows the tissue and gun flash. Police said the robberies started in Henry County in October. In one Henry County case in January, the man was wearing scrubs.

"We don't know if he's employed by one of the local medical facilities or just wearing it," said Ireland.

In Henry County, police connected the criminal to two Dollar General stores, a Family Dollar, and a cell phone store. In Gwinnett County, police said the same man with the same napkin over his face and gun in his waistband hit two different phone stores in Norcross and Snellville in February. Henry County police said their investigators are working to link the man to crimes in other counties. The napkin works in the police's favor on linking the man, but police said he might just be using it to blend in with the cold and flu season crowd.

Henry County Police said the man is driving a white Nissan Altima or Maxima.

RELATED: Police: Suspect uses fake illness to help rob business