Woman Robbed on W&OD Trail [attempted, not that this makes it any better]

[Tania]

https://www.arlnow.com/2016/09/12/woman-robbed-by-armed-youths-on-wod-trail/

Quote:

Two juveniles are in custody after trying to rob a woman at gunpoint on the W&OD Trail, according to Arlington County Police.

The robbery happened around 4:20 p.m. Friday, on the trail near the East Falls Church Metro station.

Police say the woman yelled for help, scaring off the suspects. The pair — a juvenile male and female — were later arrested on a bus and charged with armed robbery and gun charges.

Topic

[EasyRider]

Yes, and I noticed in the comments that a reader linked to a very similar, thought “successful” mugging in April 2016. Same spot, handgun involved, similar victim, also a Friday afternoon. Hard to believe the perpetrators aren’t the same.

For those who have been mugged at gunpoint on a area trail, what’s the “right” thing to do in response, according to police, and what did you actually do?

Also, on a map, that kinda looks like a good spot to get mugged – a narrow trail wedged between a highway and a power substation. As a cyclist, I never use that stretch because it’s just easier to use the neighborhood streets and join the path a little farther west. For joggers, I could see it being more appealing. What other stretches should trail users be cautious of?

[JorgeGortex]

I just read this-this morning. It goes along with the incident in Reston where a guy was robbed the other night. Do I have to start open carrying just to ride my bike and use the trails? Maybe its time local law enforcement starts patrolling the trails regularly. We aren’t safe from cars on the street or thugs on the trails.

This is really disheartening.

[Tania]

About two weeks ago (? I have a poor sense of time passing) I noticed more bicycle cops on the W&OD between Banneker and Virginia Lane although they told me they were there in response to complains about cyclists blowing stop signs, not armed robbers.

[sjclaeys]

ACPD just doesn’t have the personnel to make sure the W&OD safe because they need to be hiding a few blocks away from where this happened to ticket cyclists for not coming to a full stop.

[Author]

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