Georgia police were able to apprehended two suspects in a violent armed robbery out of state thanks to the help of two new department tools.
A license plate reader initially alerted Brookhaven police about a vehicle that was connected to an incident in North Carolina in which someone was shot and robbed, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. When officers reached the CVS parking lot where the car was spotted, they were able to take into custody one of the suspects—Alton Johnson, 27. The second suspect—Shyquan Collins, 30—was in the store, but he quickly escaped out the back.
As part of the response to the call, officers used another new department tool: a drone. The Brookhaven Police Drone First Responder Unit provided aerial coverage and tracked Collins as he fled into a wooded area.
Information about Collins' location was then relayed from the drone's pilot to officers on the ground. That teamwork led to the arrest of Collins, who also was wanted on a New York arrest warrant.
“This is yet another example of how we continue to implement state-of-the-art technology and training to advance our mission to make Brookhaven safe for our residents and visitors,” said Police Chief Gary Yandura.
A search of the car uncovered a stolen gun, and both men face multiple charges. They were booked into DeKalb County Jail, where they are awaiting extradition.
