Atlanta: Man Threatens Gas Station Worker With Hammer as Pair Break Into Gaming Machine, Police Say
- Atlanta police are asking the public to help identify two men accused of breaking into a gaming machine at a gas station and threatening an employee with a hammer.
- The robbery happened around 8:30 a.m.
- Officers responded to a robbery call at the station.
Atlanta police are asking the public to help identify two men accused of breaking into a gaming machine at a gas station and threatening an employee with a hammer.
The robbery happened around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at a gas station on Metropolitan Parkway SW in southwest Atlanta, according to police accounts reported by Atlanta News First and WSB-TV. CBS Atlanta identified the business as an Exxon.
A hammer, then a getaway
Officers responded to a robbery call at the station. According to police, an employee approached the two men while they were forcing their way into one of the gaming machines to steal money, WSB-TV reported.
One of the men threatened the employee with a hammer, and the worker backed away. Both suspects then fled.
What the reports don’t say
The October 4–5 reports did not specify how much money was taken or name the suspects.
The outlets also differ slightly on the address. Atlanta News First and CBS Atlanta placed the station in the 1100 block, while WSB-TV reported the 1000 block.
Atlanta News First reported on October 4 that the investigation was ongoing. The October 4 and 5 reports said police were seeking the two suspects, and GameEmpress found no report of an arrest as of October 7.
There is also no indication of a link to other gaming-machine thefts, such as the separate Illinois case GameEmpress covered in September, in which a masked crew smashed video gambling machines at a gas station.
How to send a tip
Investigators have shared surveillance footage showing two men believed to be the suspects, CBS Atlanta reported. Police want information about the men’s identity or whereabouts.
Tips can be sent anonymously to Crime Stoppers Atlanta by calling 404-577-TIPS (8477), visiting StopCrimeAtl.org or texting CSGA to 738477. The Atlanta Police Foundation lists the same tip line.
Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment, CBS Atlanta reported.
Featured image: File photo of an Atlanta Police Department patrol car in April 2024. Photo: Harrison Keely / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
