Crime & Safety

Police Connect Car-bumping Carjackers to Other Crimes

Three men under the age of 25 have been charged with multiple counts of hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, use of a firearm during commission of a felony and credit card fraud.

The Atlanta Police have connected two of the car-bumping carjacking suspects to other vehicle hijacking and robbery crimes, which occurred in late April and in early May.

Ronnie Houston, 24, Darius McKenzie, 23, and Sedarius Tidwell, 22,  have all been arrested and charged with multiple counts of hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, use of a firearm during commission of a felony and credit card fraud.

According to police, the crimes began on April 21 with the theft of a 1998 Honda Accord on Fairburn Road in southwest Atlanta.

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Here's the rundown of the crime spree from a release provided by APD:

"The men then used that vehicle to steal a Volkswagen GTI on April 22 at gunpoint on Greenwood Avenue in northeast Atlanta.

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Later on April 22, the men allegedly carjacked a Dodge Nitro from a gas station in College Park. On May 1st, the men bumped a Buick Enclave from behind at the intersection of West Wesley and Howell Mill roads in Buckhead. When the victims got out to check damage to their vehicle, they were robbed and carjacked at gunpoint.

Investigators were also able to determine that the men used the several victims’ credit cards to make purchases at local stores. They also connected one of the suspects to a burglary on Dale Lane in southwest Atlanta, and a pedestrian robbery on Redbud Lane in southwest Atlanta." 

Tidwell was arrested by Atlanta Police on May 3rd. Houston was arrested on May 10th and McKenzie on May 21st with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force Counter Gang Unit and APD Gangs and Fugitive units." 

“These men, already on probation, were responsible for a crime spree that preyed upon our citizens,” stated Atlanta Police Chief George Turner in the release. “Thanks to the hard work of our investigators and cooperation with our partner agencies, we’ve been able to bring these dangerous men to justice.”

All three men are being held in the Fulton County jail. Investigators continue to examine evidence to determine if the men are linked to more crimes.

-Information provided by the Atlanta Police Department


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