Police search for men who terrorized employees, customers in phone store

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Sandy Springs police are looking for a trio of armed men they say terrorized customers and employees inside an AT&T store Tuesday, before taking off with thousands of dollars in electronics.

Surveillance video shows the men burst into the store on Roswell Road near Windsor Parkway and force everyone to the ground about 4 p.m.

"You just look up and the doors bust open, just like you see on TV," one customer, who asked us only to her use her first name, Jennifer, told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik. "The guy comes in with a gun out and he had a hoodie on that was tied around his face."

Jennifer said she immediately fell to the floor in the fetal position to avoid any problems.

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“I took my flip flops off in case I had to run and they shuffled us off to the middle back room and that’s when they laid us on the floor and they zip-tied me then,” she said.

Video shows the men force store employees to hand over cellphones and other items.

“They proceeded to go to the back, took one of the employees to the safe room, stole several cellphones, some keys, some wallets from some of the customers and some jewelry,” said Sandy Springs police Sgt. Sam Worsham.

Jennifer told Petchenik during the ordeal she prayed the men wouldn’t shoot.

“My kids. I had to live for my kids and please don’t shoot me,” she said. “I totally didn’t look at them. I hid my eyes every second.”

Police said one of the phones the men stole had a tracker in it.

“We were able to track their location through Atlanta,” Worsham said. “We gave their information to Atlanta police. They were able to locate the vehicle. There was a pursuit.”

A Channel 2 Action News photographer got video of the crashed SUV near North Castlegate Drive.

“We’re very concerned about this,” Worsham said. “We’re looking for any information on these suspects.”

Police believe the group is tied to a smash and grab burglary at a Verizon store in Roswell on Tuesday.

Jennifer told Petchenik she’s hopeful police will find the men.

“I wish they could catch them,” she said. “It was horrifying. I’m still in denial how bad it was.”

Cox Media Group