Campus Crime Alert 20090527 UPDATE #2 - June 1, 2009

Eugene Police Report Third Kidnap and ATM Robbery

EUGENE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE
May 31, 2009
For further information, contact:
Jenna LaBounty, Interim Public Information Coordinator, at 682-5197, or Melinda Kletzok, APR, Public Information Director, at 682-5124

Eugene Police Violent Crimes Unit is again asking the public to be especially careful and alert after a third woman this week was forced to drive her car to a local ATM and robbed.

This evening at 10:03, a woman reported she was in her car at 18th and Chambers when two men approached and forced their way into her vehicle. They threatened the use of a weapon and compelled her to drive to various ATMs to pull money out. She was allowed to drop them off near the new Federal Courthouse, somewhere in the E. 8th and Ferry area.

One suspect was reported to be a Hispanic male, age 25, medium build, with short dark hair and wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. The other suspect was described as a Caucasian male, age 25, with a slender build and wearing a light baseball cap (no other description of clothing is available at this time).

There have been two other similar crimes in the past week:
Last night at 7:10, a 30-year-old woman was sitting in her car at the W. 11th Fred Meyers when two men unexpectedly got in. They threatened to use a weapon on her, forced her to drive them to the US Bank ATM at 7th and Chambers and then attempted to withdraw money with her bank card. The two men then forced her to drive to I-105 and W. 7th Avenue, where they got out of the car and commanded her to keep driving onto the freeway.

The two suspects are described as between ages 25 and 30. One suspect was reported to be a Caucasian male, 5'8" tall, with a slender build, wearing a grey or almost white pinstriped fedora, white long-sleeved buttoned up shirt, blue jeans and wire framed sunglasses. The other suspect was described as a Black male, 5'7" to 5'8" tall, with a muscular build, and wearing a dark baseball hat, black shirt, and plastic framed sunglasses.

The first car-involved robbery this week occured at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Monday, May 27. Two male suspects approached the victim after she had gotten into her vehicle near the corner of East 14th Avenue and Kincaid Street to request a ride. The woman agreed and while on the way to the requested location, the woman was threatened with a weapon and forced to drive to ATMs to withdraw money. The suspects eventually had the woman drop them off in an area of South Eugene. Both suspects fled the car, leaving the victim unharmed

Both male suspects in this case were described as between the ages of 18- to 21-years-old. One suspect was reported to be Caucasian approximately 5’ 7” to 5’ 8” tall and between 170 and 180 pounds. He had blonde hair and may have a round scar on his forehead. The second suspect was described as a Native American male approximately 5’ 5” tall, weighing 150 to 170 pounds, with black hair.

Police are advising the public to be especially cautious and alert:

* Lock your doors after you enter your vehicle
* When you are approaching your vehicle, have your keys ready
* Be aware of your surroundings
* Do not let people get into your personal space. Don't be afraid to tell them to stop and to be loud about it.
* Don't get caught between your car and a stranger who appears to be trying to follow or intercept you. It is better to immediately leave the area around your car and run to a safe place where there are other people.
* Yell and get the attention of other people in the area
* Park your vehicle only in well-lit areas that are not isolated

If anyone has information regarding the robberies, please call the Eugene Police Tip Line at 682.8888.