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Woman accused of Thanksgiving robbery spree arrested

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A woman who police said went on a Thanksgiving night robbery spree is now behind bars in Fulton County. She faces nearly a dozen charges in two metro Atlanta counties.

Police said she held two men at gunpoint and demanded cash, car keys and a cellphone.

Warner Wilson had never been held at gunpoint in his 76 years until Thanksgiving night. He told Channel 2's Liz Artz he was leaving McCormick's & Schmick's in Dunwoody after dinner when someone approached him wearing what he thought was a security badge hanging around her neck.

Wilson told Artz he didn't think anything about it until that person pulled a gun on him, making demands in the dark parking lot.

The robber also demanded his cellphone and keys. He complied and said oddly, he never felt scared. Wilson said there was something about her attitude that never frightened him.

In fact, Wilson thought it was a man pointing a pistol at him until the soft-spoken demands came from the gunwoman's mouth.

Wilson said she was nearly 6 feet tall and probably weighed more than 250 pounds. He said she wasn't aggressive except for the pistol she held to him.

An hour later and 9 miles away in Buckhead, Will Funderburke found himself face to face with the same soft-spoken woman, who he too thought was a man.

He told Artz when she demanded money it caught him off guard.

Funderburke said, "Are you serious?"

He saw the gun, complied and then called police. Minutes later Farrah Austin, 30, was arrested, and now faces numerous charges and remains in jail.

Dunwoody police said when Austin bonds out of the Fulton County jail they will immediately transport her to the DeKalb County jail. Wilson said he had a shotgun in his trunk and thought about pulling it out, but stated, "It's not OK Corral gunfight time."

Atlanta police said Austin was positively identified by Funderburke 10 minutes after the robbery. Police arrested Austin in a gas station parking lot after spotting her sitting at a gas pump.

Police said they found both men's wallets in the car she was driving.