BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — Police in Brookhaven called to two different alleged robberies later discovered that it was actually a fraud and the two would-be victims are under arrest.
On Dec. 13, officers responded to a grocery store on Town Boulevard after receiving a 911 call from a male victim reporting he was robbed at gun point. The victim reported the suspects held him at gunpoint and demanded all his cash.
On Dec. 17, officers responded to a bank located off Briarcliff Road after receiving a 911 call from a female victim stating she was robbed at gunpoint. The victim reported she was held at gunpoint and forced to hand over her debit card and pin number. The suspects then emptied her account before fleeing the scene.
Investigators assigned to the cases quickly uncovered the would-be victims of these two very similar cases were "in fact part of a fraudulent scheme" which ultimately led them to being left emptied handed, police said.
Both individuals responded to an offer to make quick cash by allowing the unknown suspects to access their account to commit deposit account fraud and in return they would receive an undisclosed amount of money, police said.
Brookhaven police arrested Shawndalyn Lee, 37 of Decatur, and Alterreek Booker, 33 of Lithonia, after investigators uncovered the reported, “armed robberies” were part of a scheme.
In both instances, police say the unknown suspects drained the individuals accounts leaving them with nothing. Lee and Booker both made false police reports alleging they were robbed at gunpoint in hopes their financial institution would cover the loss.
Lee and Booker have both been charged for false report of a crime.
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