Published: February 08, 2010 10:48 am      

6 arrested after Atlanta department store robbery

ATLANTA (AP) — Police have arrested six people suspected of smashing a car into a department store, causing thousands of dollars in damage before pulling out with a load of stolen clothing. Four of them were captured at a nearby Waffle House.

Morrow police said about $10,000 in clothing items stolen from the Macy’s in Southlake Mall Sunday morning were recovered from a van.

Police Lt. K. Sutton told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the thieves did more than $100,000 in damages after driving a Dodge Intrepid through doors at the back of the store at about 2:30 a.m.

“They drove the Intrepid through the door and left it at that location,” Sutton said told the newspaper. “They loaded up the van and took off in the van.”

Police initially arrested five suspects, including four who were found hiding in a Jonesboro Waffle House and another who was caught trying to escape through the woods at about 4:45 a.m. The sixth then turned himself in.

Two of the suspects were hiding in the restaurant’s bathroom while two more were sitting at a table.

Officers attempted to stop the van after spotting it driving with its lights off, Sutton said. The driver fled into Jonesboro, where the suspects abandoned the vehicle.

Three adults and three juveniles were taken to the Clayton County jail. None of the suspects’ names was immediately released.

Sutton said officers responding to an alarm at the mall found a vehicle smashing into the store. Surveillance cameras captured men ransacking the store and taking clothes.

The suspects face charges including burglary, obstruction of law enforcement officers, theft by taking and reckless conduct.