Burglary suspects smash through apartment wall before arrest

Five burglary suspects tried to escape by smashing through an apartment wall before surrendering to DeKalb County police Tuesday.

The incident began about 11 a.m. when a witness told a county deputy marshal that five people were breaking into a unit at the Thornberry Apartments, off Clifton Springs Road and I-285 in south DeKalb, said DeKalb police spokeswoman Mekka Parish.

The marshal saw the suspects fleeing into another apartment and called police. The first officers who arrived found the suspects had broken through a wall into another apartment. Police surrounded the two apartments.

SWAT officers arrived because of reports the suspects were armed, but the five surrendered peacefully about 12:45 p.m., Parish said.

Charges were pending against four men and one woman, who were not immediately identified.