Crime & Safety

Homeless Dacula Man Arrested for Armed Robbery

Subject has criminal history dating back to 1974.

A homeless man remains in custody after allegedly robbing a Dacula woman at gunpoint on March 31.

say Thomas Preston Hood, 49, demanded money from the occupant of a Winder Highway home. The victim, who is married to Hood’s cousin, did not have any money. When the woman refused Hood’s demands to go to the bank and withdraw cash, Hood reportedly fired a gun into the ground and demanded food.

The victim said she gave Hood a bowl of chicken and rice. According to the police report, the woman felt “intimidated by the subject and was in fear for her life.”

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After taking the food, Hood disappeared into the woods near the victim’s home. The victim told police Hood was homeless and had been living in the woods for several years. The woman further advised Hood was a convicted felon and was known to carry firearms.

As the responding officers were leaving the residence, one of the officers spotted a man matching Hood’s description walking along the roadway. As the officers began questioning him, Hood turned as if to walk away. When one of the officers grabbed Hood by the arm to stop him from leaving, Hood reportedly began reaching into his pocket. Hood was ordered at gunpoint to remove his hand from his pocket. During a subsequent pat down, officers found a sawed-off revolver with a two-inch barrel.

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Hood was taken into custody and charged with three counts of obstruction, one count of armed robbery by intimidation, one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm, one count of carrying a concealed weapon and one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime.

A criminal history check showed Hood had an arrest record dating back to 1974. According to police, the majority of the incidents occurred in Gwinnett and DeKalb and included multiple forcible and aggravated felonies.

Hood remains jailed in the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond.


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