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Man robbed at Lynx station Friday night - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/18/1569318/man-robbed-at-lynx-station-friday.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq =9800460#Comments_Container - broken link) Man robbed at Lynx station Friday night
A man was robbed at knifepoint at the I-485/South Boulevard Lynx light-rail station Friday evening, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.
The incident occurred about 8:30 p.m. The robber hit the victim, took his wallet and fled on foot.
Video cameras at the station caught the robber running away, said CATS spokeswoman Krystel Green.
Police said two suspects were found in the bathroom of the Target store in the nearby Carolina Pavilion Shopping Center. Both were taken into custody, but officers did not release their names.
A police officer had patrolled the area where the robbery occurred only 15 minutes earlier, Green said.
In May, police suspected a man used the light rail to get away after two robberies along the Lynx line, though authorities later said the man never got on the train.
Those robberies happened about 11 p.m. on a Friday in late May, police said. An employee at the Greek Isles restaurant on East Bland Street leaving work and a man walking out of Sullivan's steakhouse were both robbed at gunpoint within minutes of each other.
Green said the company would work to continue making sure law enforcement officials were visible.
There are nine CATS officers and four CMPD officers stationed along the light-rail line, she said.
"We want to remind people to continue to be aware of surroundings ... and to stay in well-lit areas, just like you would anywhere else," Green said.
Just another fine example of why legally licensed riders should be allowed to carry in order to protect themselves. Hopefully CATS will someday follow other public transportation systems that allow this.
Banks followed the man, and watched him walk into a Target store across the street on South Boulevard. Robbery detectives said they found Avis Williams hiding in the store's bathroom. He was arrested for armed robbery, and his friend, Omar Lamont, was arrested for possession of stolen property.
Quote:
Banks said he won’t let the crime change the way he gets to work. “I'm not going to change my habits just because of this. Crime exists in the city. I just happened to be the victim this time,” he said.
It takes a big set of brass cajones to follow someone who has just robbed you, and who you know is armed. Kudos to Mr Banks for not allowing himself to be a victim. The police cannot always protect us from crime- it is incumbent upon us to not allow ourselves to be victimized.
I think it is interesting that the suspects ran over to Carolina Pavillion Shopping Center. We had a thread on LYNX earlier and everyone seemed to get upset at the suggestion that LYNX brought criminal elements into the shopping areas along the route of the line.
I think it is interesting that the suspects ran over to Carolina Pavillion Shopping Center. We had a thread on LYNX earlier and everyone seemed to get upset at the suggestion that LYNX brought criminal elements into the shopping areas along the route of the line.
Of course, I realize this is "just one incident."
I remember that thread Ani... Several people were so adamant it stands out in my memory. I agree that anecdotal evidence isn't an end all be all, but this certainly shows how crime can be brought over there from LYNX.
As someone who argued vehemently against carrying on public transportation in earlier threads we had on this subject, I can see here how skells would specifically target an area they know people can't carry.
Relevant to my comment... Since you can't carry on the LYNX, these skells know people will be coming to their cars unarmed.
IF you were allowed to carry ON the LYNX, then you'd be carrying as you got off the LYNX returning to your car.
Sure. But relevant to your comment, any parking garage is a hotspot for robberies, regardless of whether or not you're allowed to carry in the immediate area. There are robberies in other garages daily that are not reported like this. And this is one robbery out of how many people coming to their cars? I don't think this says anything about concealed carry or some automatic negative effect from the train.
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