Verizon Store Robbed Overnight; Employees Duct-Taped

COLUMBUS, GA:Columbus Police responded to a Thursday night armed robbery at a popular Columbus cell phone location near a busy shopping area of the city. When officers arrived they discovered not only had the store been robbed, but the employees had been tied up by the assailants.

Columbus Police responded to the Verizon Wireless store located at 6783 Veterans Parkway in Columbus around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday night. The business is located near the Columbus Park Crossing Shopping Center and J.R. Allen Parkway in North Columbus. When officers arrived they discovered the the business had been robbed by a group of armed robbers.

The robbers are believed to have entered the store through a rear door and overpowered five employees inside. During the course the robbery the armed robbers used duct tape to bind the employees in the store before stealing several cell phones from the business. At press time it appeared that only cellphones were taken by the robbers before they fled the business.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. a heavy police presence was visible in the area of Commercial Drive and Veterans Parkway near the store. Columbus Police, Columbus Detectives, and Georgia State Patrol patrolled the area near the store and nearby Norfolk Southern Railway lines behind Starbucks and Krispy Kreme Donuts.

Columbus Police have not yet apprehended the suspects in the robbery, but do have an active investigation on going into the hold up. Anyone with information should contact Columbus Police.