Saturday, December 29, 2007

'My-key-do' #8

Texas -- It was a frightening night for a Sherman shopper, according to kten.com. Police say a 57-year-old woman fought off an attacker while she was trying to get in her car.

Police says a man approached the woman in a general store parking lot and threatened her with a knife. She fought the man off with her keys, before another shopper called 911.

The man fled, but police caught up with him just a few minutes later.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Tables turned

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the young man here - at least in some states and countries - could end up being charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Bass ackwords? You bet. You have to be kind to the criminals! You know ... a hug never harmed anyone.

Story from presstelegram.com:
An 18-year-old employee was slicing chicken in the back of a restaurant in Long Beach, California when he heard a commotion at the register.

There, he witnessed his 41-year-old boss struggling with a robber. A 33-year-old suspect had allegedly entered the eatery at about 5 p.m. and demanded money from the cashier behind the counter, a police spokeswoman said.

The robber was wearing a big jacket with a hood and holding his hand up as if he were carrying a gun. When the owner had trouble opening the register, the suspect jumped over the counter and was struggling with the owner, police said.

When the 18-year-old employee came out, he acted instantly to help his boss, stabbing the suspect in the lower abdomen with a kitchen knife, police said.

The robber was transported to a local hospital and is expected to live. Officers found that he was not carrying any weapons.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

ATM distraction

Canada -- Police say there's an increase in distraction thefts that typically happen around bank machines, according to 640toronto.com.

They say an unsuspecting victim will withdraw a large amount of cash and is then approached by a suspect who starts up a quick conversation.

Usually, the thief offers some kind of help. When the victim is distracted, their money is stolen.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

More targeting

Canada -- Vancouver.24hrs.ca reports that Asian women are being targeted in the latest string of violent purse snatchings, according to police.

A Police spokesperson says that five women have been assaulted from behind and robbed in southeast Vancouver between December 4 and December 9.

"The suspect comes up from behind and brutalizes the victim," the spokesperson said. Some women were hit in the back of the head with something like a police baton.

In the past, Asian women were targeted by thieves because of a perception immigrants are less likely to report crimes.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

"The mp3 man"

Still thinking walking/jogging with music is a bright idea?

Story:
Sweden -- a 25-year-old Bohuslaen man has admitted seven sexual assaults, but he is a suspect in other cases as well.

The man was arrested in November as a suspect in sexual assaults in Lund, Gothenburg, Uddevalla and Bovallstrand.

The man has admitted rape in three of the cases, while other times the intended victims have gotten away.

A police spokesman says they are certain that the man intended to rape his victims in all the incidents.

The serial rapist has been called "the mp3 man" because he almost exclusively picked victims that were listening to music through headphones.

Monday, December 17, 2007

'My-key-do' #7

New Jersey -- Manalapan Township police say man groped a woman in the parking lot of a store early Sunday morning, according to app.com.

The woman said she fought off her attacker, cutting his face with her car keys, a police department statement said.

Prior to the attack, police said, the woman reported seeing the man in the passenger seat of a car.

The suspect should have a visible wound to his left cheek from the woman's car keys, police said.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Glass danger

It's been said here before - if a fight breaks out, chances are great that someone will grab the nearest item to be used as a weapon. And if that happens to be a bottle or some other glass item, the consequences can be disastrous.

Story:
Australia -- A 20-year-old woman glassed in the face and now blind in one eye has demanded pubs and clubs be forced to use toughened plastic cups, according to news.com.au.

She made the plea from her hospital bed where she remained in pain since being attacked on a dance floor early on Sunday morning.

The victim says the altercation between her and her alleged attacker at the pub in Wollongong occurred after they bumped into one another while dancing.

"We exchanged words and within 30 seconds I had a glass hurled into my face," she said.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Lame excuses #2

In our ongoing series "It wasn't me" we have reached the often used 'sudden feeling'... This is commonly accompanied with "I'm sorry", and "I didn't mean to".

Story:
In Malaysia, nst.com.my reports about a 17-year-old who blamed his violence on a "sudden feeling which overcame him".

On April 21, 2007, an 18-year-old female college student was walking along a pedestrian lane in the college when the teenage security guard threw a rock at her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground.

The young man then dragged his victim into a nearby storeroom, undressed her and began to assault her. When the student screamed, he repeatedly hit her on the head with the rock. He tried to rape her, but when he failed to do so, he rolled his clothes to form a rope and tried to strangle her.

After begging him to stop, he set her free and she sought help from a male college friend who took her to a clinic.

A welfare officer read the probation report on the accused. He said the boy regretted his actions as they were a result of a "sudden feeling which overcame him". "He did not intend to hurt the student," the welfare officer said.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Seeing red

Sweden -- An alleged sexual assault occurred in Vaxjo just before 7 p.m. Friday night.

A woman told police she was followed by two young men. As the woman began to walk faster – so did her stalkers. The woman then began to run, but the two people behind her easily followed.

The woman tripped and fell. One of the young men caught up with her and grabbed her by the legs.

Police says the woman managed to bring out a can of red spray paint she was carrying in her purse.

The woman sprayed her attacker in the face, police said. She was able to free herself, and ran from the place.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Real estate agents

In Georgia, DeKalb County Police are warning local real estate agents to be careful, especially if they are women, 11alive.com reports.

The alert follows a sexual attack on a lone agent. The 36-year-old woman told detectives she was attacked while taking sales flyers to a home in Tucker on Tuesday, November 27.

She said not long after she entered a carport door, a man jumped her from behind, pinned her against a counter and began fondling her. However the woman fought back and managed to escape to her car, drive away and call police.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Soldier killed

In Scotland, s killer has been jailed for nine years and seven months for fatally stabbing a soldier who returned home after surviving two tours of duty in Iraq, according to theherald.co.uk.

The 23-year-old soldier was celebrating Hogmanay in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, when he was stabbed with a martial arts butterfly knife. The Lance Corporal in the Royal Highland Fusiliers was killed after he went to check his cousin was safe after fighting broke out.

The 25-year-old killer then stabbed the young soldier in the groin before running away. The victim died in hospital after the knife attack despite efforts to resuscitate him.

Friday, December 07, 2007

'Flasher wrestling', assault

A 17-year-old son of a former police officer wrestled a "flasher" to the ground after the man allegedly exposed himself to his female friend. The karate black belt has now been arrested on suspicion of assault dailymail.co.uk reports.

Police initially arrested the man on suspicion of indecent exposure and took him in for questioning. He was released the next day without charge, and made a counter claim of assault.

The man is understood to have complained about scratches and bruises he suffered after being held on the ground.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Shoplifters

UK -- Shop workers have spoken out about the violent attacks they face on a daily basis, according to hartlepoolmail.co.uk.

Statistics reveal more than 10,000 workers nationwide were injured in attacks last year. And more than 60 per cent were caused by shoplifters trying to escape with their stolen goods.

According to figures from the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw), more than 10,000 shop workers in the UK were physically attacked in 2006 alone. Around two thirds of those incidents centred around apprehending shoplifters.

The dangers facing shop staff were highlighted this week by the case of named female shoplifter.
The 18-year-old drug addict was jailed after she assaulted three members of staff at a bargains store in Hartlepool.

The offender punched, bit and spat at the three women workers, because they tried to prevent her from leaving the store with two stolen dolls - worth £4.99 each.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

'My-key-do' #6

Michigan State University police are investigating an attempted carjacking which occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. on Thursday, statenews.com reports.

A 22-year-old female student reported that an unknown male approached her car, grabbed her arm and tried to steal the keys to her car.

The student fought off the suspect and scratched him in the left cheek with her keys. The suspect then fled the scene and the woman drove off.