Atlanta police allege a 48-year-old woman held a man at gunpoint in his southeast Atlanta home while her daughter stripped parts from the victim’s air-conditioning unit for scrap metal, according to arrest warrants and a police report.
What investigators say happened
Officers responded Monday to a reported robbery at a residence on Meador Way in southeast Atlanta. The victim told police he had just moved in the day before and was waiting for city workers to turn on the water when he heard floorboards creak and saw a woman in the hallway.
The warrants identify that woman as 48-year-old Chyneka Batista. When the victim confronted her, he said Batista pointed a handgun at him and told him not to move. The man told police he grabbed a hammer, told Batista to leave and chased her outside.
In the backyard the victim said he found Batista’s daughter, 33-year-old Alexis Avery, removing parts from the home’s HVAC unit. According to the warrants, the pair struggled; Avery allegedly struck the man’s head with a pair of bolt cutters. During the altercation the man said he heard Batista shout, “Let go of my daughter!”
- After the women fled, they entered a Nissan Rogue reportedly driven by Batista’s mother.
- The victim recorded video of the vehicle and the license plate as it left the scene.
- Officers tracked the car to a recycling yard on Blashfield Avenue SE and detained the three women.
Police say they searched the vehicle and found a receipt from the recycling yard and $24 from selling the HVAC parts. Photos of the sold scrap metal were taken by officers, and the victim identified Batista and Avery as the suspects.
Statements and evidence
Batista’s mother told investigators that her daughter and granddaughter routinely collect and sell scrap metal and that she had been called to drive them because their bag was too heavy to carry. According to the warrants, Avery later told investigators she ran to help her mother when she saw the victim try to hit — the warrant text is incomplete in the report provided to News Block.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Meador Way, southeast Atlanta |
| Alleged suspects | Chyneka Batista, 48; Alexis Avery, 33 |
| Vehicle | Nissan Rogue (driven by Batista’s mother) |
| Recovered proceeds | $24 and recycling receipt |
Authorities charged the two women after the victim’s video led officers to the recycling yard and the vehicle. The investigation remains active; the warrants provide the timeline and physical evidence that led to the detentions.
“Let go of my daughter!”
The incident underscores two ongoing local concerns: the theft of metal from homes and utilities, and the dangers homeowners may face when confronting alleged thieves. For neighbors in southeast Atlanta, the episode is a reminder to report suspicious activity and to avoid direct confrontations when possible. Police encourage residents to document license plates and contact 911 rather than attempt to detain suspects.
News Block will follow any updates from Atlanta Police and the court system as charges are filed and the case proceeds.
