ATLANTA — A metro woman is putting out a warning to not leave your keys in your car after her husband’s was stolen within seconds.
The man accused of stealing it was also involved in a robbery that escalated into a shootout.
Investigators said the suspect, Phillip Deshazier, showed up at the fire department in the stolen car littered with bullet holes, and firefighters immediately alerted police.
Authorities say he also confessed to committing an armed robbery in Atlanta.
Police say it all started last Monday when Deshazier saw a man go inside a Chevron along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in southwest Atlanta, leaving his car running.
The victim’s wife, who asked not to be identified, told Channel 2’s Michael Seiden that her husband’s car was stolen in seconds.
“He went into the store to grab something. It wasn’t long. It was pretty fast. And when he came back out, he saw the guy… he was in the car,” the wife said.
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Police say Deshazier drove off in the victim’s 2008 Volvo S-80.
According to authorities, the following morning, Deshazier committed an armed robbery near that same Chevron, stealing cell phones from an unknown victim.
Investigators say that robbery escalated into a shootout when the victim opened fire, and Deshazier fired back.
Police said the stolen car was later found riddled with bullet holes and shattered windows.
Later that day, investigators say Deshazier pulled up to a Cobb County fire annex off Austell Road.
Firefighters noticed the bullet-damaged vehicle, alerted police, and kept watch until officers arrived and took him into custody.
“I’m just glad he’s off the street. But like I said, there’s a lot more of them,” the wife said.
According to an arrest affidavit, when police searched the stolen car, they found shell casings and bullet fragments.
Investigators say Deshazier also had a gun on him and admitted to the crimes.
Jail records show he’s being held without bond.
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