In a bizarre turn of events, two men, Raj Patel and Danny Curtis, have been arrested in Duluth for allegedly orchestrating a fake gas station robbery on Jan. 21, as revealed by the city’s police department, according to Atlanta News First. Among the charges they face, conspiring to commit a felony takes center stage.
The incident, captured on security camera footage that quickly made rounds on social media, unfolded at a Shell gas station off Buford Highway shortly after midnight. Responding to a reported armed robbery, an officer found Patel behind the service counter, purportedly in a state of distress.
According to Patel’s initial account, an unknown assailant wearing all black and with a covered face entered the store, brandishing a knife. Patel claimed the assailant violently stole his chain and struck him in the face, causing him to lose consciousness. Patel asserted that upon regaining consciousness, he witnessed the suspect making off with an estimated $5,000 from a cash register. Strangely, the officer noted no visible marks on Patel’s face.
However, the investigation turned unexpectedly when video footage contradicted Patel’s narrative. The footage showed a suspect exiting the side door, changing clothes by the dumpster, and behaving suspiciously. When confronted by officers, Curtis, who Patel claimed worked at the gas station, initially denied any knowledge of the incident.
As events unfolded, officers discovered cash falling from Curtis’s pocket as he produced the key to the dumpster. Although Patel insisted on Curtis’ innocence, a subsequent police interrogation revealed a startling revelation. Curtis admitted to staging the entire fake robbery at Patel’s behest. The elaborate scheme involved Curtis making off with the cash while Patel aimed to claim insurance money.
During the police questioning, an officer remarked on the video’s peculiar nature, stating, “The video looks very comical. It looks funny. It looked like you guys were trying to win an Oscar.” Curtis seemingly acknowledged the absurdity, responding simply, “I know.”
Curtis was booked into Gwinnett County Jail on Feb. 9, where he remains, facing theft charges by taking alongside the conspiracy charge. Patel, initially booked for making false statements to the police, now holds an outstanding warrant for the conspiracy charge, as confirmed by Duluth police Corporal Ted Sadowski.
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