In a disturbing series of incidents, eight young men fell prey to robbery in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, victims of what appears to be a sophisticated crime spree targeting bar-goers, six of the victims have recounted their experiences to NBC News and the local police are investigating the matter.
According to NBC News, the men reported feeling excessively intoxicated after what they believed to be normal alcohol consumption, then losing consciousness and later discovering that thousands of dollars had been stolen from them using various mobile payment apps such as Venmo, Zelle, Apple Cash, PayPal and CashApp their credit cards were used in fraudulent transactions - based on the victims' shared documentation and police reports.
Some of the victims alleged they found themselves being transported by strangers in unfamiliar vehicles while drifting in and out of consciousness, detailed in an interview by ScoonTV. These events took place over a span from November 2021 to the past month, involving bars well-attended by the young and affluent.
One of the victims, Chandler Rebel, told NBC News about his harrowing experience at Five Paces Inn, recalling that his last memory before the blackout was ordering drinks and then waking up much later, throwing up blood in a gas station bathroom miles away from the bar.
While some establishments like Five Paces Inn, via spokesperson Scott A. Minot, claim no knowledge of such incidents happening within their premises, and encouraging those harmed to contact police, the Atlanta Police Department has all hands on deck as Sgt. John Chafee confirmed that each case is "taken seriously" and under thorough investigation.
