Airbnb guest who rented a room tied up, robbed Georgia homeowner at gunpoint, police say

BUFORD, Ga. (AP) — Police say a man who used Airbnb to rent a room in Georgia ended up robbing the home’s owner at gunpoint.

A homeowner in the metro Atlanta suburb of Buford called Gwinnett County police saying an armed man who had rented his basement through the room-sharing app had fled after stealing his wallet.

According to a police report, the renter checked in late Tuesday and within an hour sent a text message to the owner upstairs saying the toilet was leaking. The homeowner told officers he was checking the toilet when he turned to see renter pointing a gun at him.

He said the renter bound his hands and feet with zip ties and fled with his wallet, which contained cash and credit cards, according to police.

Officers identified a 26-year-old suspect using the ID the renter had on file with Airbnb, the police report said. Police obtained an arrest warrant for the renter on charges including armed robbery and aggravated assault.

No arrests had been reported as of Sunday.