A man accused of attacking a woman at gunpoint inside a Decatur parking garage Sunday morning committed a similar robbery just over an hour later at a Brookhaven hotel, authorities said.
Now, police in both DeKalb County cities hope to identify the suspect and arrest him before he strikes again.
The crime spree began shortly before 8 a.m. when a woman fought off a man who robbed her at gunpoint and tried to sexually assault her inside the parking garage of a Decatur apartment complex, police said.
The woman said she had just arrived at the garage on East Trinity Place when she was approached by a man who asked for help getting inside the building, Decatur police said. The man then pulled out a silver revolver and pointed it at the woman before robbing her, authorities said.
After she handed over her belongings, the suspect tried to sexually assault her, the woman told investigators. She was able to fight the man off but suffered a “minor injury to her head” during the scuffle, Decatur police said. The man drove away in a red Cadillac CTS with tinted windows and no license plate.
About an hour and 15 minutes later, Brookhaven police responded to a similar robbery at the Hyatt Regency along Summit Boulevard, Sgt. Jake Kissel said. In that case, a woman told investigators she was driving into the parking lot just after 9 a.m. when a red Cadillac tried to follow her through the gate.
The arm of the gate came down as the woman drove into the deck, and the Cadillac couldn’t make it through. Police believe the suspect parked his car and walked into the garage.
Moments later, the woman was robbed and pistol-whipped by a man wearing a face mask, blue pants and a black North Face jacket, Kissel said.
“The suspect produced a silver revolver and proceeded to strike the victim several times on the head with the firearm before retreating to his vehicle and fleeing the scene,” Kissel said, adding that the suspect stole cash from the woman before leaving the garage. The victim is expected to be OK, police said Tuesday.
Based on similar descriptions of the suspect, the red Cadillac and the silver revolver that was used in both robberies, investigators say they’re searching for the same man.
“It’s the car, the gun and the motive. Everything just kind of aligns in both cases,” Kissel said.
In a joint news release sent out Tuesday, detectives from both Brookhaven and Decatur said they are working together to find the suspect. Anyone who recognizes the man or has information about Sunday morning’s robberies is asked to call Brookhaven police at 404-637-0636 or Decatur police at 404-373-6551.
Those wishing to submit tips anonymously are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477, text information to 274637 or visit the Crime Stoppers website.
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