Police: Man steals cell phone; shoots at victim's car

MCDONOUGH, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - It could have ended badly but instead, McDonough Police said a woman got away with her life when a man fired a shot at her. He had stolen a couple of cell phones from her and she had tracked him down.

“He stole two cell phones out of the console of her vehicle then he flees on foot. She later locates him,” said Detective William Poss, with the McDonough Police Department.

He said the woman located him at a McDonough Pick N Go after he ran out of her car not far away in the parking lot of a Dollar General store. Detective Poss said the woman had given the man a ride to the Dollar General from another store apparently out the goodness of her heart.

“A lot of us we try to do helpful good things and then people take advantage of it so I really feel bad for her,” said McDonough resident Shelonda Williams.

Detectives said after the crook had stolen the woman’s cell phones she drove around trying to find him. When she located him at the Pick N Go, things took a dangerous turn, as Detective Poss pointed out by pointing to surveillance video.

“And then you see her accelerate trying to give chase after him, in her words,” said Detective Poss.

He said the man was struck by the car off camera, evident by a picture of damaged windshield. Still, the crook managed to get away and take a shot at the woman.

“After he has slid off the hood of the vehicle he removes a firearm from somewhere on his person, fires one shot in her direction,” said Detective Poss.

Then the man is seen on video calmly picking up what appears to be evidence.

“You see him running towards the roadway and he stops turns around and picks up what we believe to be a shell casing,” said Detective Poss.

Now, McDonough Police are asking for the public’s help in locating the armed cell phone bandit for the July 12 crime before he strikes again.

“If he’d come back to pick up his casing he’ll do it again, he thinks he got away with it the first time,” said McDonough resident Jarvis Lester.

Anyone with information on the where a-bouts of the cell phone thief is asked to contact McDonough Police or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.

Detective Poss said the woman was not hurt.