Wednesday, January 24, 2001

Luxury car drivers, be cautious: Robbers may follow

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Local residents are being warned to watch their rear-view mirrors after the arrests of four people for following a Fairburn man home and attempting to rob him at gunpoint.

The victim was targeted because he drove a luxury car, said Maj. Bruce Jordan of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

"He was just getting in from Atlanta," Jordan said.

Jordan suggested that residents who believe they are being followed should drive directly to the Sheriff's Department for assistance.

The Fairburn victim was in his garage at a residence on Morning Springs Walk in north Fayette County Thursday, Jan. 11 when the incident took place. He was approached by the four suspects who were armed with a non-working replica of a handgun and asked him for money.

The victim scared off the would-be robbers with a few choice words, Jordan added. "Apparently it frightened them into rethinking what they were doing."

Two of the suspects were caught near the scene, and the weapon was also recovered nearby, said Sgt. Renee James. The search included the patrol division, criminal investigation division and K-9 tracking team.

Two other suspects were arrested the following day and police impounded the vehicle that one of the suspects got away in, James said.

Arrested for criminal attempt to commit armed robbery were: Dominick Brown, 17, of Atlanta; Jeffery Gripper, 17, of Atlanta, and two juveniles, ages 15 and 16, also from Atlanta.

All four suspects have been charged for similar crimes in Fulton County, several of which occurred on the same day, James said. Fulton County law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, she added.