Decatur Police Nab Robbery Suspect in Downtown

DECATUR, GA -- Decatur Police quickly arrested a robbery suspect in downtown Decatur on Friday, with a little help from some concerned citizens.

At about 1:10 p.m., police responded to a call to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, on Sycamore Place at East Ponce de Leon Avenue, according to a news release.

The call was in reference to a robbery that had just happened at nearby Sycamore Square Condominiums. The victim told police she was at the entrance to her garage when the suspect came up behind her and snatched her purse.

The victim, who was not injured, screamed and chased the suspect toward the church parking lot. That’s when a citizen, who heard the scream, called 911 and another reported seeing the suspect enter a vehicle in the parking lot.

The witnesses gave detailed descriptions of the suspect and his vehicle, helping an officer find the vehicle turn off of Commerce Drive onto the 600 block of East College Avenue.

The officer initiated a traffic stop and found the suspect reclined in the front passenger seat with the victim’s purse in plain sight.

Vinson Lopez, 44, of Dublin, Georgia, was arrested and charged with robbery. The vehicle’s driver was detained, but later released without charges.