From the City of Decatur’s Linda Harris…

On Saturday, July 6, 2013 at approximately 12:30 pm, there was a robbery by snatch in the 100 block of New Street.  A female was working alone in a front office with the front door propped open when the two suspects entered and stated they were lost and begged to use a bathroom.  The victim stated there was no bathroom but one suspect continued to beg and asked if he could cut through the space to go outside and relieve himself.  The victim allowed him to do so and upon his return, that suspect pushed the victim from her chair toward the floor while the other suspect grabbed a laptop and the victim’s purse off the table where she had been working.  Both suspects fled into the parking lot.  The victim observed the suspects enter a silver 2011 Mercedes Benz E350 displaying GA tag #PFH1139 and flee toward East College Avenue.  The Mercedes Benz was previously reported stolen to the DeKalb County Police Department.  No weapons were shown and there was not a threat to use a weapon. The victim was not harmed.  Investigators are working with the Atlanta Police Department on a possible lead involving the victim’s phone being tracked to an area in southwest Atlanta shortly after the robbery.

Update:

Further investigation revealed video footage at the location where the keys and silver Mercedes were previously stolen on July 4, 2013. In that case three male suspects entered a music store in DeKalb County and inquired about merchandise. Once the suspects left the location, an employee noticed his keys were missing and subsequently his vehicle was missing from the parking lot.  Surveillance video revealed one of the suspects taking the vehicle from the parking lot.

Additionally, the same vehicle was involved in a theft on July 5, 2013.  In that case, a male suspect entered a business in DeKalb County and asked to use the bathroom.  When the employee was distracted, the suspect grabbed her iPhone off of the counter and fled outside to the same silver Mercedes which was occupied by another male suspect.

The stolen silver Mercedes was found abandoned in south west Atlanta on July 9, 2013.

If you recognize any of the suspects in these photos or have any additional information, please contact Sgt. Jennifer S. Ross at or

Information on the case can be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477), online www.crimestoppersatlanta.org or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637). Persons do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the reward of up to $2,000.

Security camera photos of the suspects after the jump…

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You may recall the announcement a couple of months back about traffic calming measures being implemented in the Ponce Terrace neighborhood behind Taqueria del Sol and 315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue.  Well, I saw quite a few bulb-outs going in along Fairview and Oakland Street this morning!

Call it good marketing or virual buzz, but tomorrow’s launch of Three Taverns Brewery’s first two brews around Decatur is certainly noticeable. I can’t remember the last time a business used the city lampposts to advertise anything, can you?

In addition to these new signs, of which there are 10 around Decatur according to Three Taverns Facebook page, there’s another AJC feature up in the past day (yes, it’s behind the paywall), which features this “beer pick” description of their “A Night In Brussels IPA”…

Profile: Originally brewed with Citra hops, the latest version of this Belgian-style American IPA features the Falconer’s Flight blend, which includes Citra, Simcoe, Sorachi Ace and other American hop varieties. The result is a lovely expression of tropical, citrus and floral notes married with a soft malt presence and the spicy, fruity tones of Belgian yeast.

Pair with: Try this clean, bright, aromatic beer with rare roast beef, spicy Asian dishes or a shrimp or oyster Po Boy.

The launch is certainly big for Decatur, who’s latest Strategic Plan includes the encouragement of “light industrial” businesses in the city’s eastside industrial area.  Three Taverns is the largest effort yet since the ink dried in on that plan and one can assume that the city is hoping they will attract even more “light industrial” businesses to the area in the near future.