Gun-point abductions in the Springfield Mall parking lot have alarmed shoppers who want increased lighting and security in the mall's parking lot. The Fairfax County police joined forces with the Prince George's police to address the crimes and developed a composite sketch of the suspect.
According to police, they are investigating two similar incidents that occurred near the mall on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 22. The first incident occurred in the parking lot outside Ruby Tuesday's restaurant about 6:45 p.m. and the second was in the parking lot of the Target store on the other side of the mall.
In both incidents, a man approached a woman, pulled out a gun and forced her to drive to an automatic teller machine (ATM) and withdraw money, according to police. Then the women were driven to Prince George's County where the suspect sexually assaulted the victims before releasing them. The victims did not need medical attention, police sources said.
Police later determined that the two incidents were related, describing the attacker as black, in his 20s, five foot eleven inches tall, 150 pounds, with short, curly brown hair. He was wearing a black-colored down jacket and blue jeans, police sources said.
Although the mall administration would not comment on the incident, shoppers and mall employees were alarmed. Lucia Depaolis works at a store in the mall and noticed a change in the clientele in the 12 years she's been going there.
"This mall has gone down in years," Depaolis said. "There's a lot of 'gangbangers' in the Commerce Street area." Better lighting and more roaming security might be an answer, she noted.
Another Kingstowne mother, who chose not to give her name, was concerned.
"I'm certainly more aware in the parking lot," she said. "Security in the parking lot might make people feel better." The woman did point to a security camera outside Target.
"There are cameras in the corners, I can see," she said.
Fairfax County Police spokesperson Julie Hersey noted the existing police presence at the mall.
"Everybody's been made aware of what's going on there," she said. "We have a shopping center unit there. The bike team is going to be out there in the evenings."