Felon arrested for armed robbery spree targeting Georgia post offices, prosecutors say
USPS wallpaper on the wall above customer lockboxes in a Georgia post office. (Dustin Chambers for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A felon convicted of bank robbery is facing multiple charges for what officials say is a series of arned robberies at businesses across Georgia.
Officials say Terry Lewis Burston was released from jail last year before going on the alleged crime spree.
What we know:
According to the prosecutors, Burston first robbed an auto parts store in Decatur on Dec. 14, 2024. In that incident, he reportedly demanded money from an employee at gunpoint before fleeing.
Less than a week later, Burston allegedly forced his way inside a Scottsdale post office as the last customer exited, pointed a gun at a postal employee, and forced them to give him cash from the register.
On Jan. 17, 2025, officials say the man tried to rob a gas station in Decatur while armed with a handgun.
The final theft connected to this reported spree came on May 17, when Burston allegedly attempted to rob a post office in Lithonia. He reportedly fled with employees started alerting co-workers and was found by inspectors trying to change his clothes behind a nearby restaurant.
He is facing charges of postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Dig deeper:
Officials say that Burston had been released from prison and was under federal supervision after he was convicted in 2013 of armed bank robbery. He previously served a 20-year sentence for robbing an Atlanta bank and post office in 1995.
What they're saying:
"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," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose coordinated investigation resulted in Burston’s arrest and prevented him from committing additional violent crimes."
"This is another example of Postal Inspectors and local agencies collaborating to remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community," said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. "We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the violent and callous actions committed by this defendant against postal service employees and other businesses."
What's next:
The case remains under investigation.
The Source: Information for this story was taken from a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.