By Joe Johnson
Two Athens teens were arrested Monday for allegedly robbing two women in a University of Georgia parking deck last week.
Jose Alejandro Barrera, 17, of Pinewood Estates North and Yener Alexis Morales-Cifuentes, 18, of Reed Street were arrested Monday and each charged with two counts of robbery by intimidation and one count of entering an automobile with the intent to commit a felony.
According to UGA police, the robbery occurred early Sunday morning on the fifth level of the North Campus parking deck on South Jackson Street.
Two 19-year-olf females reported that they were going to their car when a vehicle occupied by four males pulled up and a light-skinned suspect got out and pointed a gun at them and stole a purse from one victim and a wallet and cellphone from the other victim.
The suspect then stole another cellphone, chargers and a USB adapter from the car, and Ray-Ban prescription eyeglasses, according to a police report.
The total value of the stolen items was $2,272, the report noted.
Neither victim attended UGA.
One victim was on the phone with her boyfriend when the suspect approached her, and the boyfriend reportedly told police he heard the suspect threaten to shoot the victims when demanding their property.
Barrera and Morales-Cifuentes were arrested by UGA police later in the day Sunday, according to the Clarke County Sheriff’s office.
When asked why the suspects were not charged with armed robbery, police spokesman Capt., Eric Dellinger referred the question to UGA Open Records Manager Bob Taylor.
“UGAPD says based on the totality of the investigation, robbery by intimidation was determined to be the appropriate charge,” Taylor said Wednesday morning.
He said that the investigation remained ongoing.