Man allegedly robs liquor store days after release from prison

A 37-year-old man is accused of robbing a Johns Creek liquor store days after he was released from prison, police say.

Surveillance video obtained by Channel 2 Action News from outside Ritesh Patel’s store shows a man breaking in on Dec. 15, grabbing a cash register and running out.

But the man had backed his car into a parking space in front of the store when the camera caught his tag number.

The video shows the man, later identified as Donald Garrett, running to cover the tag. But it was too late.

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Fulton County police ran the tag and quickly caught up with Garrett, who, according to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, committed a smash-and-grab robbery in their jurisdiction.

Patel told Channel 2 that Garrett only got away with an empty cash register anyway, but he was glad the alleged robber was in custody without bond.

Garrett faces charges in Forsyth and Fulton counties, Channel 2 reported. 

“If you're living that type of lifestyle it's hard to change, but I'm hoping that he does,” Patel told the news station. 

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