BUFORD — A second armed robbery in less than a month occurred at the O’Reilly Auto Parts store located at 2786 Hamilton Mill Rd. in unincorporated Buford. Officers responded to the call on November 22 at 10 p.m. Less than a month prior on November 5, the Advance Auto Parts store located at 2744 Hamilton Mill Rd. was also robbed by gunpoint.
Both locations were robbed late at night close to closing time. The employee who called the police stated that he was standing behind the counter when a black male wearing a black hat, black shirt, black pants, black shoes, and a white mask entered the O’Reillys with a “full-frame black handgun” according to the police report. The suspect told the employee to stay right there and once out of sight the employee ran out of the back door to the gas station next door where he called the police.
The suspect entered the store’s office where a second employee was counting the money from his cash register drawer. The suspect demanded that the employee “get to the drawers” and the employee stated that he had to get the key. At that point, the suspect pistol-whipped the second employee in the back of the head and took $60 from the drawer the employee had been counting. The suspect ran out of the store through the front door.
The employee who ran to the gas station next door noticed a white BMW with its headlights on in the parking lot but did not see if anyone was in it or when it left. The store did not have security footage of the incident. Both employees said that the suspect was not wearing gloves. Crime Scene Investigators were called out to dust for prints.
During the previous armed robbery at the Advance Auto store on November 5 at 10:30 p.m., a black male wearing a purple bandana over his face entering the store brandishing a silver handgun with a black grip. The suspect grabbed the first store employee by the collar and made him start walking towards the back of the store. They came upon a second employee and made him walk with them. Since it was closing time, the store’s safe was open. The suspect made the employees lay down with their hands up while the suspect stole $700 from the safe.
The employees were made to go back up front where the suspect stole more money from one of the cash registers and took both employees’ cell phones and a watch from one. The suspect left through the front door.
Employees told the officer that the suspect was about 5’11”, weighing approximately 160 lbs with short afro style black hair and brown eyes. The suspect was wearing a gray hoodie with either black shorts or pants with black Nike shoes and black rubber gloves. The employees did not know if the suspect left in a car or not. No security footage was available.
If anyone has any information to share in this case, please contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com.
— Staff Reports
