Charges were filed against a 31-year-old female, suspected of being involved with Tuesday’s attempted robbery of Lowe’s Home Improvement Center in Conyers and a subsequent hit-and-run.

According to Rockdale Sheriff’s Office Deputy, Corp. Michael Camp, the suspect has been charged with robbery and theft by receiving stolen property. At this point, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is not releasing the name of the suspect.

The suspect was leaving the store with chainsaws, leaf blowers and other lawn equipment, according to Camp, when she was stopped by a Lowe’s employee. The employee questioned the suspect and she pushed the employee down and took off.

“At that point, the shoplifting becomes a robbery attempt,” Camp said. Though the suspect was not armed, she did physically assault the employee. “Shoplifting doesn’t involve a victim. Once there’s a person involved, it becomes robbery.”

"The suspect jumped into the passenger seat of the Toyota SUV," Camp said. "The suspects did a U-turn and ended up on Georgia Hwy. 20 headed south towards Newton County."

The driver of the vehicle, thought to be a Toyota Highlander, fled the scene, apparently hitting a parked vehicle in the lot. A witness called the Conyers Police emergency dispatch number, reporting the tag numbers. Conyer's police contacted the Rockdale Sheriff's Office about a possible hit-and-run. "We ran the [tag numbers]. It came back a stolen vehicle." 

The suspects' car was spotted headed down Hwy. 138 towards Henry County by a Rockdale deputy, who attempted to pull the vehicle over, Camp said. The SUV took off. 

“Just a minute into the chase, we got called to a robbery by force at the Lowe’s Home Improvement Store,” Camp said.

Camp said the suspects' vehicle crashed into a residential driveway just south of the five-way intersection at Highway 212, Highway 20, and Brown Bridge Road. The two suspects fled into the nearby woods.

Newton County Sheriff's deputies joined Rockdale Sheriff's deputies and Conyers police officers to set up a perimeter block involving between 30 and 40 law enforcement vehicles, Camp said. Lights flashing, law enforcement cars were seen at the side of roads and blocking residential driveways along a number of Rockdale and Newton County highways and roads, including Highway 212, Brown Bridge, Oak Hill and Magnet Roads.

A short time later, Camp said, the female suspect was arrested and charged with attempted robbery by force. The second suspect, thought to be the driver and described a black male wearing a teal sweatshirt, has not yet been apprehended.

Check back at covnews.com or at Facebook/covnews.com for more information as it becomes available.