A Gainesville man Monday reportedly stole a truck on Gillsville Highway and two hours later snatched a necklace off a victim and punched them in the face before Hall County deputies found and arrested him.
The sequence of events started at approximately 1:30 p.m. when deputies responded to reports of a stolen vehicle at a gas station in the 2800 block of Gillsville Highway near Mustang Drive. The first victim was in a store when he saw a man enter his Toyota Tundra and drive away, according to preliminary reports from the HCSO.
Two hours later, between roughly 3:30 p.m. and 3:50 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a robbery in the 1700 block of Atlanta Highway. The male suspect reportedly “snatched a necklace with a charm” off the neck of a second victim and left that scene in the Toyota pickup truck that was reported stolen earlier in the day.
At around 5:30 p.m., deputies located the stolen truck and the suspect in a parking lot in the 3500 block of Thurmond Tanner Parkway. It was at that time they identified the suspect as Abraham Rivas, 29, of Gainesville.
Rivas was arrested at the scene and charged with theft by taking, robbery-sudden snatching, which are both felonies, as well as misdemeanor battery, according to HCSO spokesman Derreck Booth.
Rivas remains in the Hall County Jail without bond at the last report.
