An armed robbery at a newly opened Amoco on State Road 85 kicked off a high-speed pursuit that ended in Peachtree City on Sunday, authorities said. Officers arrested a 23-year-old man after the chase, and deputies later recovered a firearm and stolen cash from the vehicle he was driving.
Store cameras and plate readers gave detectives a fast lead
High-resolution surveillance video at the Amoco captured the holdup and the getaway car, and an employee was able to read the license plate and alert deputies, according to The Citizen. Investigators then used license-plate readers around Fayette County to track the vehicle's movements in real time, a digital trail that helped narrow the search before officers spotted the car in Peachtree City.
Short pursuit ended in a Peachtree City industrial park
Peachtree City police located the vehicle on Highway 74 near Highway 54, and a brief high-speed pursuit ended near Dividend Road and Paschall Road, WSB‑TV reported. Officers said the suspect was taken into custody without incident at the scene, after multiple agencies, including the Fayette County Sheriff's Office and Peachtree City police, coordinated the stop.
Suspect arrested, charged and jailed
The driver was identified as 23-year-old Kenny Richards, who faces charges that include armed robbery, three counts of aggravated assault and felony possession of a firearm, according to The Citizen. Authorities told reporters that Richards said he was unarmed when officers detained him and that the weapon was inside the vehicle; deputies recovered a gun and the stolen cash from the car, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. Richards was booked into the Fayette County Jail and is being held without bond, officials said.
What officials say and what local stores can learn
Sheriff Barry Babb praised the quick cooperation between agencies and credited modern surveillance technology with helping bring about the arrest, saying "It is such a great investigative tool" in a statement to FOX 5 Atlanta. Local law-enforcement leaders note the case illustrates how upgraded cameras and plate-reader networks can speed investigations and may deter repeat offenders. Authorities asked anyone with information about the robbery to contact the Fayette County Sheriff's Office.
