A North Carolina man is jailed in Gwinnett County after police said he tried to take two cars and broke into a home but was thwarted each time by his intended victims.
All three alleged crimes happened within a span of 30 minutes Monday morning, according to Gwinnett police. Lamont Dickerson, 26, of Charlotte, is being held without bond on multiple charges, including home invasion and hijacking a motor vehicle.
The first attempted carjacking was reported just after 5 a.m. in the area of South Puckett and Ridge roads in Buford, police said. The victim told responding officers he was sitting in his car when he was approached by an unarmed man, later identified as Dickerson, who opened his door and ordered him out.
“The victim accelerated away from Dickerson, who then attempted to carjack a second vehicle near Ridge Road and Hamilton Mill Road,” Gwinnett police Cpl. Collin Flynn said in a news release. “In that attempt, Dickerson got into the female victim’s car through the passenger door and ordered the female to get out.”
The woman refused, Flynn said. Her attempted carjacker ran off before police arrived.
But police said Dickerson showed up on the officers’ radar again, this time after a home invasion was reported on Woodtree Lane. A homeowner said the man used a brick to break out a window and come inside, according to Flynn.
“When he entered the home, he was confronted by an armed homeowner,” he said. “Dickerson fled from the homeowner and led police on a foot chase before being arrested.”
He was taken into custody about 5:30 a.m. Detectives are now investigating to determine a motive for the alleged “crime spree,” Flynn said.
In addition to the home invasion charge and two counts of second-degree hijacking, Dickerson is facing misdemeanor charges of obstruction and criminal trespass.
Police are asking anyone with information in the case to contact detectives at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
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