Photo: WCTV

Valdosta Police Department Report: 

On February 7, 2018 at approximately 6pm, two seventeen year old male victims were walking along the 2500 block of Bailey Drive when two unknown male suspects began approaching them from behind. One of the suspects told the victims to hand over their belongings as he began patting down the first victim and taking items from the victims person. This victim fled the scene. According to the second victim, one of the suspects pulled out a handgun and demanded he turn over his belongings. The second victim handed over his backpack and both suspects fled the scene with the items.

Detectives from the Valdosta Police Department Person’s Crimes Unit continued the investigation into the case. The victims provided enough information to lead detectives to the location of one of the offenders. Ernest Smith was identified as one of the suspects. Further investigation revealed probable cause to arrest Smith and he was arrested, transported to the Lowndes County Jail and charged with one count of armed robbery, robbery by sudden snatching and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. The investigation is ongoing to identify the second offender in this case.

“Every citizen should be able to freely walk down a public street without the fear of being victimized. The victimization of fellow citizens will not be tolerated. The officers and detectives in this case worked swiftly to locate and arrest one of the offenders. The Valdosta Police Department will continue to investigate this case until the second offender is identified. If anyone has any information regarding this or any other case, they are asked to call Investigations at 229-293- 3145 or leave an anonymous message on the Tip Line at 229-293- 3091”, said Captain Kari Williams.