Two Teens Arrested In Drip Coffee Shop Armed Robbery

Atlanta police arrested two teens Wednesday following an early morning armed robbery at the in Glenwood Park.

No one was injured in the 9:30 a.m. robbery of the popular Garrett Street eatery.

But the theives — five to seven teens in all — took several laptop computers, an iPad, mobile phones and cash before leaving.

"They all came in — I noticed they weren't looking at anything," Drip owner Hal Miller told Patch. "I said hello and they didn't say anything."

Seconds later, one of them brandished a gun and forced everyone to the ground.

Witnesses told police the robbers fled in a white van.

Police later found a white Dodge Caravan and spotted the two teens walking from it.

The two were charged with armed robbery, said John Chaffee, an Atlanta Police Department spokesman.

Police are withholding their names because they are juveniles.

The investigation continues to find the other suspects. None of the stolen items were recovered, Chaffee said.

The robbery comes amid a number of coffee shop robberies in which customers' laptops were taken — right out of their hands in some cases — in , and in recent months.

"The incident at Drip coffee shop was different. This group took property at gunpoint, it wasn't a snatch," APD Police Maj. John Dalton told Patch.

Dalton is commander of APD Zone 6, which includes East Atlanta, Grant Park, Ormewood Park and Glenwood Park.

In some of the other incidents, some would-be victims fought back. But with a gun, the scenario changes, Dalton said.

"Under those circumstances they should definitely not resist. Hopefully the arrest of these individuals will knock a dent in some of these crimes," he said.

He also gave the this warning: "Individuals when at these shops need to be aware of their surroundings, be wary of suspicious persons — and don't hesitate to call the police — and don't leave their property unattended or out of sight."

Miller said he is instituting several changes to the coffee shop he owned for the last 2½ years.

He purchased cameras and will be installing them. He also is looking at purchasing locking devices that would allow patrons to lock their laptops in place.