North Fulton County

Investigators say ‘sliding' thefts making their way to north metro

By Mike Petchenik, WSB-TV
By Mike Petchenik, WSB-TV

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police say a theft problem plaguing parts of the south metro area has made its way north, and they hope a recent arrest will solve a number of cases.

Susan Ambrester told Channel 2’s Mike Petchenik she was pumping gas last month at a station on East Crossville Road in Roswell, when she realized her purse was missing from the front seat.

“Apparently this person drove up while I was pumping gas so my back was to him,” she said. “Never saw him, didn’t hear him.”

Ambrester said within hours, someone had racked up thousands of dollars on her credit cards.

“He went to Best Buy, Game Stop, Walmart, Target, Shell, BP, Macy’s,” she said. “He just hit all of North Point Mall area.”

Roswell police were able to find a surveillance picture of the man after he used the card at a Target store, and about a month later, told Petchenik an off-duty officer spotted the man and his car at another gas station on Holcomb Bridge Road.

“They were able to get him at another gas station where he was doing the same thing,” said Officer Lisa Holland.

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Holland said Darryl Turner was doing something commonly referred to as “sliding.”

She said it starts when a person isn’t paying attention near the car, at a location such as a gas pump.

“While this person is on the other side of the car, going in and taking credit cards or the purse, wallets, anything they can quickly grab and go,” said Holland.

Holland told Petchenik that Turner confessed to several cases in Roswell and Gwinnett County.

“This actually cleared up several of our cases,” she said. “We feel there are more victims out there.”

Ambrester said she didn’t expect police to catch the suspect so quickly.

“I’m just very glad they got him and I’ve told all my friends make sure you lock your car doors,” she said.

Cox Media Group

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