Thieves hurl chainsaws at police during chase

DULUTH, Ga. — Duluth police are searching for the two men who threw chainsaws at police during a chase.

The incident was caught on police dash cam video shared exclusively with Channel 2 Action News.

Surveillance video from Howard Brothers hardware store shows the two burglars breaking in through a door, then taking chainsaws and weed trimmers. They fled with 19 chainsaws and weed trimmers in a stolen SUV.

A Duluth police officer was chasing the SUV when one of the men climbed into the back and threw several chainsaws and a weed trimmer at the officer's car.

“The initial officer who was in the pursuit was able to see them and make evasive maneuvers and evade it and not run over anything,” said Duluth police Maj. Don Woodruff.

A second officer hit one of the chainsaws. It is now back in the basement of Tim Oliver’s hardware store.

Oliver said the burglars took about $10,000 worth of merchandise.

Police said the chase was dangerous, not just because of the flying lawn equipment, but there was also at least one close call with a garbage truck.

Most of the items have been returned because five minutes into the chase, the burglars abandoned the SUV.

Police said they are still working to identify the suspects.

WSBTV