Police in Athens have identified a teenager as a suspect in a string of armed robberies last weekend, some of which targeted University of Georgia students.
The 16-year-old was arrested Friday by Athens-Clarke County police with the assistance of University of Georgia police. He is being charged as an adult in three armed robberies over the busy football weekend, as well as in a fourth armed robbery that happened Oct. 13, authorities said.
Athens-Clarke County police are looking into a total of six weekend holdups, three on Oct. 16 and another three on Oct. 17, but the teenager is only facing charges in the Oct. 16 incidents. Some of the victims are UGA students, department spokesman Lt. Shaun Barnett said.
“The investigation into each of these incidents remains ongoing,” Barnett said Friday.
The 16-year-old’s charges are related to the three armed robberies Oct. 16 on Pope Street, Second Street and Willow Street, in and around downtown Athens. According to Barnett, investigators initially believed those incidents involved two men threatening victims with guns and demanding valuables.
The following day, three other holdups occurred within the same area. This time, only one suspect was involved, Barnett said previously. At the time, investigators believed the Sunday crimes were committed by one of the men who was involved the day before. It was not clear Friday if investigators were still looking for a second suspect.
Additionally, the 16-year-old has been charged in an Oct. 13 armed robbery at Mitchell and Williams streets.
Anyone with information about any of the armed robberies is asked to contact Lt. David Norris at 762-400-7165 or via email at david.norris@accgov.com. Anonymous tips can be called in to the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 706-705-4775.
