DeKalb County

‘I couldn’t even think or breathe;’ DeKalb Co. mother says suspect stole her car from daycare center

DECATUR, Ga. — Dekalb County Police are looking for the guy they said stole a car from a daycare center on Columbia Drive in Decatur.

Latoya Burns said it happened last Tuesday.

“I was just doing drop off at the day care around 8:24 a.m. I kissed my kids and took them in,” said Burns.

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Burns said she was driving a 2012 Nissan Altima with damage to the passenger’s headlight and the hood is secure with a Green bungee cord.

After she got out of her car, she walked inside the center.

“We heard a loud horn and someone just holding down on the horn,” said Burns.

Burns said that was an employee inside one of the vans. He was letting everyone know what was going on outside.

“As soon as I hear the horn, I go to the door, and I just see my car reversing out of the parking space that I was parked in, and it just took off out of the parking lot.”

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Her purse, phone and other personal belongings were in the car.

“I had money in my purse. My bank cards. I was just really in shock. I was just in shock that it happened so fast. I could not even think or breathe at the time,” said Burns.

Burns said everything happened within a minute.

Police believe the suspect was watching her.

Channel 2 Action News obtained more video of that suspect walking back and forth in front of the daycare center.

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“When I saw the full video that’s when I knew that he sat there and watched me the whole time take my kids out of the car and kiss my kids.”

Police said they are looking for any ring door cameras in the area. They also entered this case into the National Crime Information Center.

As for the victim, Burns is trying to buy a new car.

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Larry Spruill

Larry Spruill, WSB-TV

Larry Spruill Jr. has been part of the WSB-TV family since March 2022. He is an Emmy Nominated Journalist with over 12 years of news and storytelling experience.