A series of alleged armed robberies by a previously convicted felon has once again put DeKalb County postal offices and other businesses on high alert. Terry Burston, who had a prior conviction for armed bank robbery, has been arrested on charges that include postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, using a firearm during a violent crime, and Hobbs Act Robbery, Atlanta News First reports.
The crime spree began in December last year when Burston allegedly robbed a Decatur auto parts store, threatening an employee with a handgun for cash; less than a week later, he reportedly hit a Scottdale post office, trailing a customer out before forcing his way back in to rob it, and in January, an attempt was made on a Decatur gas station—and although no money was taken it added to the string of offenses, FOX 5 Atlanta states.
It wasn't until May 17 that Burston's alleged spree escalated to him trying to rob another post office located in Lithonia; the outreach was disrupted when employees triggered an alert, forcing Burston to flee; inspectors later located him changing his clothes behind a nearby restaurant, leading to his detention following a brief pursuit. "Burston is a violent repeat offender who allegedly terrorized the citizens of DeKalb County by assaulting federal employees and robbing local business operators at gunpoint," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg is quoted as saying in a statement obtained by both Atlanta News First and FOX 5 Atlanta. He added that the coordinated investigation by federal and local law enforcement played a pivotal role in preventing further violent acts and apprehending Burston.
Burston's criminal history dates back to 1995 with a 20-year sentence for robbing a bank and post office in Atlanta, he was convicted again in 2013 for another armed bank robbery, after his release from prison, he was under federal supervision when these new allegations arose, showing a troubling pattern of repeat offenses against community establishments. In a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division, expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort to "remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community," underscoring the threat posed by such crimes to the fabric of neighborhood security and trust.
