A man told police he was kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to withdraw thousands of dollars Friday morning after someone crashed into his car in northwest Atlanta.
Atlanta police said the man walked into the Zone 1 precinct shortly after 1 a.m. to report the kidnapping, telling officers he was forced to drive to several ATMs across the city.
According to police, the victim was driving in the 2400 block of Spring Street when his vehicle was struck by a dark sedan.
“The victim stated he exited his vehicle to inspect for damages when he was approached by a male suspect wearing black clothing and a hoodie,” police said in a statement. “The suspect produced a handgun and ordered the victim back into his vehicle.”
Authorities said the gunman got into the man’s car and made him drive to an ATM on Lee Street. The suspect reportedly refused to use the walk-up ATM, however, and made the man go to a Wells Fargo drive-thru on Chattahoochee Avenue, according to police.
There, he forced the victim to withdraw $2,700, authorities said.
After that, the man was told to drive to a third ATM on Fairburn Road in southwest Atlanta, but was unable to withdraw any cash, he told police. The bizarre kidnapping and robbery ended in northwest Atlanta after the suspect was driven to a neighborhood in the 2000 block of Arlington Circle and fled the scene, authorities said.
Police have not released a description of the robbery suspect, and it wasn’t immediately clear if he was captured on any of the banks’ surveillance cameras.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Atlanta police. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
About the Author
