The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify three people investigators consider to be people of interest in an investigation of an entering auto case in Dalton in which a woman’s purse was stolen. The vehicle was parked in the parking lot of a local gym. The persons of interest were recorded using a stolen bank cards taken in a later entering auto case in Chattanooga that investigators have determined to be linked to the Dalton case.

The first incident happened in August at the Peak Fitness gym at 1021 Riverburch Parkway. The victim went inside to work out and left her purse inside of her black Infiniti SUV. Shortly after, the suspect drove up next to the victim’s vehicle and broke out the rear passenger window and stole the victim’s purse. Dalton investigators were unfortunately unable to determine any descriptive characteristics of the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle from the surveillance video.

Weeks after the August incident in Dalton, there was an entering auto case in Chattanooga. In that case, another victim’s checkbook was stolen and a check was written against the bank account of the Dalton victim and cashed at the Dalton victim’s bank using the Dalton victim’s name and account information. The three suspects pictured below were recorded by store surveillance in Tennessee using bank cards stolen in the Chattanooga case and Dalton investigators consider them to be people of interest in both investigations. The first individual is a white female with a heavyset build who wore black sweatpants and a black t-shirt with her hair pulled back in a bun. The second individual is a black male with a mustache who wore a black “do rag” on his head. The third individual is a black female who wore a yellow and black patterned shirt. Pictures of all three individuals are included below.

Anyone who recognizes these three individuals is asked to please contact Detective John Edwards at 706-278-9085, dial 9 and enter extension 152.

Below: The three individuals below are considered people of interest in the investigation by Dalton investigators. The ytraveled in this white Toyota Camry

The Dalton Police Department has arrested one suspect involved in a September armed robbery at a convenience store and warrants have been issued for a second. Alexandro Perez, 17, of Dalton was arrested without incident and booked into the Whitfield County jail today and police have warrants for the arrest of 20 year old Sergio Perez. Investigators are still working to positively identify the third person involved in the robbery.

The robbery happened on September 13^th at the La Esquinita store at 613 N. Hamilton Street. Shortly before 9:00 pm, three masked males walked into the store and two of them began pointing handguns at the store clerk and customers inside. One of the suspects walked behind the counter and shoved the clerk away at gunpoint, opening and emptying the cash register. While that was happening, a second suspect grabbed the customer around the head and face and held a gun to his head. The suspect held the customer in place until the robbery was complete. The third suspect appeared to act as a lookout at the door to the business. The three then fled on foot, apparently running northwest in the direction of an alley near Matilda Street. The group got away with a large amount of cash. Police received multiple tips from the community after publishing surveillance pictures of the suspects earlier this week online and in area media outlets. The surveillance pictures showed facial features and distinctive clothing worn by the suspects.

Alexandro Perez was charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, participation in a criminal street gang, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Police have warrants for Sergio Perez for the same charges.

Sergio Perez is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or the identity of the third person involved in the robbery is asked to please contact Detective Jacob Burger at 706-278-9085, extension 9-325.

Below: Sergio Perez is wanted on warrants for his involvement in an armed robbery

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify two women who worked as a team to distract an elderly shopper in a grocery store to steal her wallet. The victim’s bank cards were then used to rack up nearly $1,300 in fraudulent purchases at nearby stores. The suspects were recorded by store surveillance.

The incident happened at the Kroger grocery store on Glenwood Avenue. The victim told investigators she was in the dairy section to purchase butter when she was approached by two women. One of the women approached the victim and started a conversation with her, asking her about different types and brands of butter. While she was distracted, the second woman took the wallet out of her purse which was left on a shopping cart. When the victim went to check out, she didn’t have her wallet but didn’t realize it was stolen, instead assuming she’d left it at home by accident. The victim left her groceries and went home, only realizing that her wallet was stolen when her bank called her to alert her to suspicious activity on her bank cards. The victim told investigators that it was then that she remembered the bizarre butter interaction with the two suspects. Shortly after the theft of the wallet, the victim’s bank cards were used at the nearby Lowe’s to make five separate transactions in the space of five minutes, totaling between $216 and $218 each. In all, the purchases at Lowe’s totaled $1,087.38. Ten minutes later, the bank card was used to make a $208 purchase at Dollar General. A second transaction of $413 was attempted at the Dollar General, but declined.

Investigators were able to locate surveillance images of the two women involved in the theft at the Kroger. The first suspect was a black female wearing orange shorts and a patterned orange and black shirt. The second suspect was a heavyset black female wearing a black wig, black glasses, and a blue shirt. Investigators then recovered surveillance footage of the two women at the Lowe’s store. The suspects changed clothes after leaving the Kroger and the heavyset suspect removed the wig and was instead wearing a New England Patriots baseball cap. Pictures of the suspects are included with this release.

Anyone who has information about this crime or the identity of these two women is asked to please contact Detective John Edwards at 706-278-9085, extension 9152.

Below: The suspects were recorded by store surveillance at the grocery store

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify three men who robbed a Dalton store at gunpoint in September. The suspects wore masks covering their faces, but investigators believe that someone will recognize their distinctive clothing or exposed facial features recorded by store surveillance.

The incident happened on September 13^th at the La Esquinita store at 613 N. Hamilton Street. Shortly before 9:00 pm, three masked males walked into the store and two of them began pointing handguns at the store clerk and the customers inside. One customer had his children with him in the store. One of the suspects walked behind the counter and shoved the clerk away at gunpoint, opening and emptying the cash register. While that was happening, a second suspect grabbed the customer around the head and face and held a gun to his head. The suspect held the customer in place until the robbery was complete. The third suspect appeared to act as a lookout at the door to the business. The three then fled on foot, apparently running northwest in the direction of an alley near Matilda Street. The group got away with a large amount of cash.

The first suspect wore a light blue hoodie sweatshirt with the words “The Dirty South” on the front in a logo styled to look like the North Face logo. He also wore black shorts with a white stripe down the leg, black and white Nike shoes, and a blue mask that covered the lower portion of his face. He carried a black revolver. The second suspect wore a dark blue hoodie, and wore a single black Nike glove on his left hand. He wore gray pants, blue and white shoes, and a black and white mask over his lower face and also something covering his upper face. He carried a black semiautomatic handgun. The third suspect wore a black Under Armor hoodie, black Adidas shorts with three white stripes on the legs, black Adidas shoes, a gray or black beanie hat, and a blue mask covering the lower portion of his face. He also had a blue key lanyard that was hanging out of his shorts pocket. Pictures of the suspects in which facial features can be seen are included with this release.

Anyone with information on this crime or the identity of these suspects is asked to please contact Detective Jacob Burger at 706-278-9085, extension 9325.

Below: The suspects were recorded on store surveillance (click images to see a larger version)

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify a man who performed lewd acts at a Dalton fast food restaurant on Sunday. The incident, which was recorded by the store’s surveillance system, was reported to police the next day by store management.

The incident happened at approximately 3:30 pm on Sunday at the Subway restaurant at 1281 Glenwood Avenue. The suspect, a Hispanic male wearing a plain white t-shirt, blue jean shorts, a toboggan hat and glasses, approached the counter and ordered a sandwich. While the employee worked to make the suspect’s sandwich, she realized that the suspect had exposed his genitals and was openly masturbating. The employee was alarmed, but finished making the sandwich and gave it to the suspect, who paid for the meal and left.

Anyone who recognizes this suspect is asked to please contact Detective John Edwards at 706-278-9085, dial 9 and enter extension 152.

Below: The suspect was recorded by store surveillance