3 Sought In Violent Atlanta Home Invasion

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta police have released sketches of three suspects in a violent home-invasion robbery that happened in Virginia Highlands last month.

They are accused of pistol-whipping one of three men who had been sleeping at their home on Virginia Avenue and stealing his wallet, cash, credit cards and cellphones during the robbery, which happened at about 2:30 a.m.

An Atlanta Police Department officer was called to the apartment and met with the residents, all of whom said they had been sleeping in their bedrooms. One of them said he was asleep when an unknown man came into his bedroom, hit him across the face with a handgun and asked where his safe was.

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After he told the robber he didn't have a safe, the robber tried to tie him up with zip ties, but ultimately one of the robbers stayed behind to watch him while the other two went into the rest of the home.

The other two residents said they were asleep in their own rooms when they heard a commotion.

One of the three robbers came into one of those men's bedroom and asked if he had called police. The third resident said someone tried to come into his bedroom, but that the door was locked. He called 911.

The first man said the robbers took his wallet, which contained $500 in cash, his driver's license and bank card. The second said the robbers took his Samsung cellphone.

Police released sketches of the suspects and described them as follows:

• Suspect 1: Hispanic male, age 35-40, light complexion, standing about 5'9" with short, buzzed dark hair, a groomed goatee and medium-to-heavy build. Wearing a gray t-shirt and armed with a handgun.
• Suspect 2: Hispanic male, mid-30s, light complexion, standing about 6'3" with a full goatee. Heavy, stocky build, wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt and a white ball cap.
• Suspect 3: Black male, 30s, dark complexion, standing 5'7"-5'9" with a scruffy, stubble beard and wearing a dark blue ball cap, blue jacket or hooded sweatshirt and blue pants. Also armed with a black pistol.

Anyone with information on this case or the identities of the suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers. Information can be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or online at the Crime Stoppers website. Persons do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the reward of up to $2,000 for the arrest and indictment of the suspects.

Photos courtesy Atlanta Police Department