Woman stops attempted carjacking in Arborland Mall lot by pulling out box cutter
An employee at a store in the Arborland Center thwarted an attempted carjacking in the lot Tuesday afternoon by pulling out a box cutter on her keychain, Ann Arbor police said.
Sgt. Paul Curtis said a 38-year-old Ypsilanti woman, who works in one of the shops, was sitting in her car in the 3600 block of Washtenaw Avenue during a break. A pickup truck pulled up next to her car, and a female passenger in the pickup asked for money, then cigarettes, Curtis said.
When the woman refused, the other woman then said she’d take the car and attempted to pull the victim out of the vehicle, Curtis said. The victim told the woman she carried a box cutter on her key ring and showed it to her.Â
Curtis said the pickup driver then fled the scene.
The woman was described as about 40 years old, black and about 5 feet, 8 inches tall. The victim also described a white man driving the pickup truck, but no further description was available.
The incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information can call the department's tip line at 734-794-6939.
Comments
krc
Sun, Jan 24, 2010 : 5:43 p.m.
And please let's not turn this into another 9/11 forum.
krc
Sun, Jan 24, 2010 : 5:41 p.m.
LOL, wookie! Those keychain pepper sprays etc are useless if they are in a cute little leather holder. By the time you get it out, the damage is done. Now, a shot of WASP SPRAY to the face can be a big deterrent. One stream and long distance. Read that in an email. Admittedly it's in a big ol' can but it would pack a punch!
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 6:24 p.m.
@Tom Joad, while I agree that box cutters can be nasty if employed correctly, I must vehemently disagree with your assessment of its power in the 9/11 hijackings. Complacency and deferred self preservation is what allowed the 3 planes to be taken. I would hope we can all agree that as with Flight 93 and the more recent Xmas flight, this particular type of hijacking can never occur again. Why? Because no passenger with any IQ what so ever will sit and wait to die again. Passengers have learned better to go down fighting and have a chance than certain doom with inaction. Would that people take that and apply it to their everyday lives as well.
Ralph
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 4:56 p.m.
What happened to good old fashioned pepper spray?
grs
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 3:19 p.m.
I'm thinking along the same lines as Dot. Really, a carjacking in one the most congested lots and intersections in AA? And in the middle of the day? There's more to this story.
alex
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 3:18 p.m.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha awsome simply awsome. these people will not learn till one of em is shot and killed.
Dot
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 3:06 p.m.
I thought thieves targeted locations where they can make a fast get-away. Must have been their first trip to Arborland. NOBODY is going to make a quick departure from that lot! You could walk out faster than you could possibly get out in a vehicle. Hope there are security cameras in Arborland parking lots.
zollar
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 2:52 p.m.
A tear gas/ pepper spray canister is a good thing to have on your key ring as well.
Blklight
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 2:45 p.m.
Well good for her! Freaking theives are the scum of the earth
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 2:42 p.m.
@actionjackson - Agreed OC/Mace would've been good but Tasers are not allowed to citizens in MI (yet) @wookie - Milan PD does not have jurisdiction at this location
Tom Joad
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 2:05 p.m.
Don't underestimate the power of a box cutter... 9/11
tdw
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 1:54 p.m.
Maybe off topic but has anyone seen the cars in Columbia that blow fire to the sides to stop kidnappings or carjackings?that would be way cool
voiceofreason
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 1:47 p.m.
This is great. If everyone would just be more accountable for themselves like this woman, there could be a massive decrease in the number of police needed on any given day.
actionjackson
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 1:16 p.m.
Too bad she didn't have a tazer or tear gas! Congratulations on the box cutter idea.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.
Anything can be a weapon, the important part is your mindset. Your Snoopy ice scraper will certainly do the tirck if targeted appropriately.
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:57 p.m.
I'm behind the times. All I have is a Snoopy ice scraper.
Paul Taylor
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
Looks like kicking out AATA really cleaned up Arborland. Yup... Really did the trick...
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
Amen to the previous 4 comments! But situational awareness usually trumps the need for a weapon. The weapon is a nice failsafe though.
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:44 p.m.
time to lock and load...it's only going to get worse.
cinnabar7071
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:15 p.m.
If more people responded this way, crime could be a thing of the past. Kudos for choosing not to be a victim.
djm12652
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:12 p.m.
Hey, no law against driving with a box cutter...worked for her!
uawisok
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 12:10 p.m.
hope she noted the trucks plates so the arrest should be a slam dunk...that is if there are any police left on the payroll to investigate....the race to the bottom continues!!
TF
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 11:31 a.m.
You get down with your bad self.