Masked robbers assault armored truck driver, take his weapon

Police in Winder are seeking two people who robbed a Dunbar Armored truck.

Police in Winder are seeking two people who robbed a Dunbar Armored truck.

Federal, state and local authorities are searching for at least two people who robbed a Dunbar Armored truck and physically assaulted the driver behind a Barrow County bank Tuesday.

The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. at the Bank of America in the 100 block of North Broad Street in downtown Winder, police Chief Jim Fullington told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Four schools in the area — Winder-Barrow High School, Russell Middle School, Winder Elementary School and the Center for Innovative Teaching — were placed on lockdown because of their proximity to the scene, authorities said.

The driver of the armored truck was servicing a drive-up ATM behind the bank when the people, who were wearing masks and hiding behind a fence line, attacked the driver, Winder police Capt. Chris Cooper said in a news release.

“The masked suspects, who were wearing dark clothing, forced the driver to the ground and took his weapon,” Cooper said. “They fled on foot and fired two shots as they ran.”

No one was injured, Cooper said. Officers recovered the gun the robbers took from the driver in a nearby yard.

Investigators aren’t sure how much the robbers may have gotten away with, Cooper said.

The FBI and GBI are involved in the investigation, Cooper said. Statham police and the Georgia Department of Corrections assisted with police dogs.

Anyone with information is asked to call Winder police at 770-867-2156.

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