Police search for armed robbers in three LaGrange incidents

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 9, 2015

By Melanie Ruberti

mruberti@civitasmedia.com

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LaGRANGE — LaGrange police officers had a busy night Thursday as they dealt with two back-to-back armed robberies on the north side of the city and another robbery on the south side of town.

The first armed robbery happened around 8:35 p.m. in the 700 block of North Greenwood Street, according to a press release.

The victim told officers he was walking up the road and approached by at least three males, at least one of whom brandished a gun. The victim said the men stole several items of personal property off him and then fled the scene.

LaGrange Police Lt. Dale Strickland said the crime has similar characteristics to an armed robbery that took place near the same area Wednesday night.

In that case, a Manchester man said he and a friend went for a walk down Mitchell Avenue. The victim said near North Greenwood Street they encountered three males, one punched him, beat him up, went through his pockets and stole an undisclosed amount of money and cut his stomach. The victim is refusing to cooperate with investigators about the attack, Strickland said.

While some officers handled the Thursday crime on North Greenwood, a second call came in around 8:50 p.m. for another armed robbery in the 1500 block of Park Place, a few blocks away.

Police said the victim told them three males approached him as he walked to his apartment with a bag of groceries and at least one of the men stuck a gun in his face and said, “Give it up.”

The victim said he threw his cellphone and car keys on the ground. The suspects grabbed the cellphone and took off running.

Later that night, around 11 p.m., detectives were called out to Bay Food Mart at 1312 Hamilton Road where a male said two people that he knew forcefully held him against his will inside a car while they grabbed money out of his pocket. Strickland said all three cases are active investigations. He added that officers have stepped up patrols in response to the crime.

Anyone with any information regarding these incidents is asked to call the LaGrange Police Department Criminal Investigation Section at 706-883-2620 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000. Tips also may be submitted through the LPD Facebook page at facebook.com/lagrangepolicedept, or text tips anonymously to 888-777.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter at LaGrange Daily News. She may be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.