The suspect in a string of armed jewelry robberies, including the August heist at Zales Outlet in Dawsonville, was taken into custody Friday in Smyrna.
Abigail Lee Kemp, 24, was arrested without incident by agents from the FBI Atlanta Division.
She is one of two suspects believed to have been involved in multiple jewelry store robberies in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina.
Another individual who was with Kemp at the time of her arrest is also in custody. Due to ongoing investigative efforts, the identity of the second person and the details of the arrests are not being released at this time.
“We thank our partners in the media who provided invaluable assistance in publicizing our need for information from the public,” said Michelle S. Flint, special agent in charge with the FBI Jacksonville, Fla., Division. “We also thank the many callers who provided us with information to assist in the investigation.”
The FBI began receiving tips soon after requesting assistance in identifying the suspect after the most recent armed robbery.
On Jan. 4 at approximately 10:36 a.m., a white female in her late 20s or early 30s and approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and 130 pounds entered a Jared Vault location in Mebane, N.C., and displayed a handgun.
At gunpoint, the suspect forced two employees to a back room and zip-tied their hands. She then returned to the merchandise area, removed various items from display cases, and placed them into a shopping bag before exiting the store and fleeing in an unknown direction.
Kemp is also accused of executing multiple similarly-styled jewelry store robberies across the Southeast region in recent months, including the Aug. 5 armed robbery of the Zales Outlet at North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville.
Other locations include Jared Vault in Sevierville, Tenn., on Oct. 16; Jared Jewelry in Bluffton, S.C., on Sept. 2; Reeds Jewelers in Panama City Beach, Fla., on Aug. 11; and Jared Jewelry in Woodstock on April 29.
A black male suspect in his late 30s or early 40s and approximately 6 feet tall and 250 pounds is also seen on surveillance video during the robberies in Panama City Beach, Woodstock and Dawsonville.
Authorities said Kemp made off with more than $13,000 worth of jewels during the Dawsonville heist.
In each case, she forced employees to the back of the store where she zip-tied their hands, according to Dawson County Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Commander Ray Goodie.