Atlanta

Police searching for 2 teens dressed as women stealing from metro gyms

ATLANTA — Are you hitting the gym more in the new year? Beware of thieves.

Police say gym-goers need to be on the lookout for two teens accused of dressing as women and stealing from people as they work out.

Police say Tarquinnious Mack and Dequavis Smith have hit gyms in at least 7 metro Atlanta counties since November. The pair act like they are seeking gym memberships, then go into locker rooms and steal car keys, then the cars, police say. They have also used stolen credit cards.

Detectives have felony warrants against Mack and Smith but so far, they have not been caught.

Police say the teens have targeted gyms in Cobb, Gwinnett, Forsyth, Athens-Clarke, Dekalb, Newton and Cherokee counties.

Gwinnett detectives believe others may be involved in the metro-wide ring.

Last week, Channel 2′s Sophia Choi talked to Covington police capt. Ken Malcolm, who said Mack was spotted on surveillance video at a Planet Fitness wearing a wig.

Malcolm said the thief gets in by lying to employees and saying that he lost his membership card.

"He's now approaching the clerk here," Malcolm said, pointing to the video. "He's negotiating, trying to get into the facility. And he's able to get in."

The surveillance video then shows Mack leaving the locker area, where police believe he stole credit cards and keys. More surveillance video at Kroger shows him buying gift cards with stolen credit cards and leaving in a stolen brown F-150 that belonged to a gym member.

“He’s looking for crimes of opportunity,” Malcolm said. “And so far, he’s been successful now in five different areas.”

Choi talked to Jazzmon Sanders, who just joined Planet Fitness this week. She said she keeps her things close by and makes sure to take the proper precautions.

"We live in a world where crazy stuff happens. So when you're in a situation like that, you just have to take precautions," Sanders said. "I just keep everything on me. If you can't have it on you, then you probably shouldn't bring it in."

Police also recommend bringing your own lock if you use a locker.