Stolen Mercedes Recovered, Two Suspects Arrested After Multi-Agency Effort in Forsyth County

A stolen Mercedes-Benz GLE 43 AMG and a Chrysler 300 were recovered last week in a coordinated operation involving the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) and Chamblee Auto Theft Units. Two suspects, identified as Winston French, 53, of Atlanta, and Donny Myers, 43, were taken into custody.

The incident began at Platinum Used Cars when a customer requested a test drive of the luxury vehicle. After being handed the key, the suspect drove off before the dealership employee could enter the car. The Mercedes was followed by a Chrysler 300 that had dropped off the suspect. The employee briefly pursued the vehicles but lost sight of them near McFarland Parkway and GA 400.

Detectives worked with the dealership to activate the GPS on the stolen Mercedes, which initially showed the vehicle near the I-85/I-285 junction. FCSO and Chamblee Auto Theft Units located both vehicles pulling into a RaceTrac gas station on Rock Chapel Road. Using unmarked vehicles, officers executed a coordinated vehicle pin maneuver to detain the suspects.

Inside the Mercedes, investigators found tools used to disable GPS equipment and a jammer device, which had caused intermittent tracking issues. The Chrysler 300 was determined to have been stolen from Columbus, Ohio, in 2023 and was linked to an armed robbery in LaGrange on October 30, 2024. Descriptions of the robbery suspects matched those of French and Myers.

French and Myers were charged with felony theft by taking. Myers, who complained of a medical issue at the time of arrest, was handed over to DeKalb County EMS for evaluation. French remains in custody at the Forsyth County Jail with no bond.

Authorities credited the successful recovery to teamwork, with special recognition for the Chamblee Police Department’s assistance.