DECATUR, Ga. — Police are looking for a crew who they say pose as laborers. But instead of doing an honest day’s work, they are cruising neighborhoods in southeast Atlanta and Decatur, and entering unattended work vans to steal valuables, primarily wallets.
“The suspect in this case entered a construction vehicle and started taking items from within. One of the construction workers on the scene confronted the individual, at which time the suspect produced a handgun and pointed it at the victim,” said Decatur Police Lt. John Bender.
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Channel 2’s Tom Regan has learned that at least twice in the last week, thieves driving a pickup truck with a ladder on top have ransacked work trucks.
Contractor Kevin Ramirez says his coworkers found a man searching through a work van. They chased after him, and he climbed into the pickup.
After they threw a tape measure at the truck, one of the thieves got out and threatened them.
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“He stopped right here and got out of the car and pulled a gun and pointed it at us. And he said, ‘Don’t be funny.’ I couldn’t really hear what he said. He got back into the truck and drove off,” Ramirez said.
He says the same two thieves entered one of his trucks at another worksite last week.
“It was at that moment, I was standing between him and his truck, he just pointed a gun and left,” said Ramirez.
Police say those who are victimized by a car or truck burglary should not confront the suspects, but try to identify them and their vehicle and contact police.
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