Peachtree City woman was the target of a

bump-and-run armed robbery while she was headed

home early Tuesday morning.

Though

they originally got away, two men were arrested

for the crime seven minutes later when they were

pulled over by Fayetteville Police, said Maj.

Mike DuPree of the Peachtree City Police

Department.

The

victim had turned off of Flat Creek Road after 1

a.m. when she was bumped from behind by a vehicle

that had followed her from Fayetteville, DuPree

said. The woman stopped and exited her car to

check for damage when a passenger from Shaffer's

car pointed a weapon at her, DuPree said.

The

pair took the woman's purse and a cell phone

before fleeing the scene, police believe. Both

items were recovered after Fayetteville police

made the arrests, police reported.

The

weapon turned out to be a BB gun, DuPree added.

Since

the crime was reported so quickly, Peachtree City

police were able to alert Fayetteville police to

look out for the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled

over by Fayetteville police at the intersection

of Ga. Highway 54 and Booker Road just seven

minutes after the crime was reported.

Ricky

Yarbrough, 21, of McDonough, the passenger in the

vehicle, was charged with armed robbery, DuPree

said. The driver, Michael Shaffer, 19, of

Jonesboro was charged with armed robbery, leaving

the scene of an accident and following too

closely, DuPree added.

The

victim knew she was being followed by the

vehicle, a champagne-colored Nissan Altima,

DuPree said. She did not know what type of weapon

was used in the crime, however, DuPree added.

female passenger was inside Shaffer's vehicle,

but she claims that she did not know about the

armed robbery. That passenger has not been

charged with a crime as of Tuesday morning, but

the matter is still under investigation, DuPree

said.

The

bump-and-run strategy is being used by criminals

throughout the nation, DuPree said. If you

suspect you're being followed, he suggested,

drive around until you spot a police car to meet

up with, or use a cell phone to contact police.

"If

you have a cell phone, and you believe you're

being followed, notifying police of the situation

is the safest thing you can do," DuPree

said. "Under no circumstances should you let

them follow you home."

<!--

-----------