PARKING-LOT MUGGINGS COULD BE RELATED

Police think a string of purse-snatchings in our neighborhood could be related.

Five women were accosted in retail parking lots over three days in January.

On Jan. 22, a robber approached a woman in the parking lot of Target at Cityplace, cut her purse strap, yanked away her purse and ran away with it. The woman had just placed her infant son in her vehicle and was placing his stroller in the back when the robber approached, NBCDFW reported.

The same day, an 82-year-old woman was robbed in the parking lot of Tom Thumb on Northwest Highway at Central Expressway. Similar robberies occurred in retail parking lots in Far North Dallas and off Webb Chapel Road the following day. And then on Jan. 27, a woman was robbed in the parking lot of Tom Thumb on Lovers at Greenville. The woman refused to let go of her purse, and the robber dragged her before getting away with the bag.

Calling these crimes “purse-snatch- ings” downplays their seriousness. They’re often violent crimes against women, and depending on whether the victim is injured, they can be punishable with lengthy prison terms. A robbery in which the victim is not injured could be considered a second-degree felony, punishable by anywhere from two to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If the victim is injured, disabled or older than 65, then the crime could be elevated to a first-degree felony, which is punishable by a mandatory minimum five-year sentence and as much as 99 years or life in prison.

Since this type of criminal typically seeks victims who are alone, self-defense experts recommend asking someone to walk with you to your car. If you must shop at night, try to park in a well-lit, highly visible spot, and be aware of your surroundings. Some experts recommend learning self-defense techniques to put up a struggle with a would-be robber. But others suggest handing over your property to avoid harm.

Crime Numbers

3 3 p.m. 1.5

The date in February when police shut down Deep Ellum due to a “suspicious bag.”

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Time when a teacher noticed someone leave a black bag outside of the Uplift campus on Elm Street.

Number of hours it took before the Dallas FireRescue’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal gave the all clear and the streets were reopened.