Victoria’s Secret robbery suspects pepper spray employee to escape, Georgia cops say
Three suspects accused of robbing a Victoria’s Secret store — one of them pepper-spraying an employee — have been arrested, Georgia police said.
Peachtree City police responded to the Avenues Shopping Center on Thursday in reference to “suspicious persons” hanging around outside the lingerie store, according to a release posted to the department’s Facebook page.
Before officers arrived, police received a second call stating one of the suspects had come inside and used pepper spray on an employee and fled.
“While speaking with witnesses on scene, it was determined that the individuals had stolen a large quantity of merchandise from the establishment and assaulted the employee as they were attempting to leave,” authorities said. “A description of their vehicle was provided by a witness.”
Police shared the information with surrounding agencies and, a short time later, were contacted by deputies in nearby Coweta County who spotted the getaway vehicle. Deputies tried to stop the car, but the suspects fled.
“A short pursuit ensued, and the four occupants eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot,” according to police.
Deputies arrested three of the robbery suspects before turning them over to Peachtree City police.
Authorities identified the man accused of pepper spraying the Victoria’s Secret employee as Eugene Martin, 32. He faces charges of aggravated battery and armed robbery.
“They took a basic shoplifting charge and turned it into an armed robbery just by pepper-spraying an employee for no reason,” Peachtree City police spokesman Lt. Chris Hyatt told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, adding that the worker was at least 20 feet from the accused shoplifters.
“He sprays her right in the face and then they both bolt out the door,” he added. “She wasn’t even blocking their way.”
The two other suspects, 32-year-old Ashley Anderson and 23-year-old Timmy Chambers, are charged with party to a crime of armed robbery, according to Peachtree City police.
All three were booked into the Fayette County Jail, authorities said.
The getaway driver remains at large.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Victoria’s Secret robbery suspects pepper spray employee to escape, Georgia cops say."