Man robbed at knifepoint in Ann Arbor parking lot
A 48-year-old Jackson man was robbed at knifepoint late Saturday night as he walked through a parking lot to a gas station near West Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor.
The man was in Ann Arbor visiting relatives and friends and had been waiting at a nearby hotel for friends to pick him up, according to Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush. When the friends didn’t show up, he decided to walk to his relatives’ home on Pauline Boulevard, she said.
The man was walking through the parking lot of Ace Barnes Hardware in the 2100 block of West Stadium Boulevard toward a gas station, Bush said. About halfway through the parking lot, the man was jumped by two unknown men, and one of them punched him in the back of the head, Bush said.
The man turned around and was confronted by the two men, one of whom was brandishing a knife and making stabbing motions, Bush said. The man with the knife demanded the Jackson man’s money, Bush said.
The man initially hesitated and attempted to push away the knife so he wasn’t stabbed, Bush said. However, he eventually gave in to the demand and handed over his wallet, which had cash and credit cards inside, Bush said.
The man then ran away toward West Stadium Boulevard, Bush said. He later went to the emergency room to be treated for a bump on the head and police went to the hospital to take the report, Bush said.
The man with the knife is described as black, about 18 years old, between 5 feet 9 and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He is thin and was wearing dark jeans, a dark hooded sweatshirt with a zipper and a skull cap.
The other man is described as black, about 23 years old, with braided black hair of about medium length. He has a heavy build, is about 6 feet 2 inches tall and was wearing dark brown corduroy pants, a green shirt, a black jacket and a baseball hat.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Ann Arbor police at 734-794-6939.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 2:45 p.m.
On an average day we now have 6 police officers on patrol and since the start of 2012 over 80+ home invasions! This is not including burglaries, robberies, rapes or assaults. Our police chief has resigned and interim is about to start and all I say is what on earth are they thinking at City Council meetings?
A2cpl
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 3:22 a.m.
This is exactly the reason I recently got my CPL and conceal carry every where I go. I am constantly urging others to responsibly do so as well. This has to long been a town preyed on because of its liberal views. Someone kicks my front door in trust me they won't be walking out!
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 5:47 p.m.
Crime rates are relevant of course - but the underlying message here is: it can happen to me or anyone who may be "just minding our business." That area around Stadium and Pauline: has long been one where I feel uneasy. That started even before I was assaulted in that area 16 years ago. But - my doctor's office is near there so I have to go through that area occasionally. Honestly: I dread reading accounts like this because when I see the words "knife" or "gun" I realize that if I'm ever confronted like that, I'll likely be forced to shoot the attacker(s). Being outnumbered and in close quarters like that, there's no time to mull over other options.
silo
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:24 p.m.
Kyle, I'd like to know what time this occurred, as my family shops at many of the stores in that area. You write it was late Saturday night... was it after the stores were closed? Were there witnesses? Is there a pattern of crimes occurring in that area after a certain time of night? If so so, what time do these seem to occur the most?
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 3:03 p.m.
Millermaple is correct. Got clarification from AAPD today.
millermaple
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:51 p.m.
it appears to have been @ 11:00 PM per crime map
Halter
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:24 p.m.
You can get updated information here: Pretty simple google search that.... <a href="http://www.crimemapping.com/map/mi/annarbor" rel='nofollow'>http://www.crimemapping.com/map/mi/annarbor</a>
Bcar
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 11:58 a.m.
...when seconds count, the police are only minutes away...
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 2:52 p.m.
In the case of A2, laid off watching TV.
Major
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 3:10 p.m.
on average in AA bout 12 - 15 minutes away. Average crime time frame...1-3 minutes.
Halter
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 11:01 a.m.
It saddens me, as usual, that a few of our posters already are insinuating the victim did something wrong. It does not matter what time this occurred; nor what hotel he was coming from; or where he was going. What matters is thus occurred at all. That area has several crime-riddled apartments and low income housing complexes together with high crime rate. This issue should be about stopping ridiculous train depot and Greenbelt projects and putting money back into public safety, not what time the crime occurred.
Mitch
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:31 p.m.
He has every right to go where he wishes. He was not prepared for what happened. When you look around Ann Arbor, downtown, the mall, or the shopping how do you see it? Safe? I see lots of easy pickings. NO one is ready to stand up and face the evil that is here in America.
roadsidedinerlover
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 7:47 a.m.
I work in this area and I will be informing my co-workers about this event. We have to deal with this areas unwashed and unpleasant inhabitants and this robbery is very sad but not surprising at all. I will be alot more careful!
SMC
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 4:53 a.m.
This plan to lower the crime rate by gutting the police force is working out just great, isn't it, Mayor Headupyourbottom?
Paul Epstein
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 11:40 a.m.
peaking of heads up their bottom, I can hardly believe it is the mayor who conceived of such cuts, at least independent of the fact that there is never enough revenue because nobody wants those who have more than one can even imagine to have to have part of it....um..."confiscated" in the form of taxation. Plus, the cops are out there enforcing all the no turn on red signs at 4 in the morning.
nicole
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:58 a.m.
What time of day did this happen?
Mitch Smith
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:59 a.m.
Mind you I did not wait to get robbed I was not scared into carrying a handgun. I know I am not immune anywhere I go. Especially down town near UofM property.
Raggety Andy
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:44 a.m.
paranoid much? please keep your guns locked up at home. this ain't the wild west...
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 2:48 p.m.
No to be rude, but Ann Arbor has become the WILD WEST. Back in '79, crime waves like this were isolated to the occasional prostitution bust and drug (marijuana) crimes and not these violent crimes.
Major
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 3:05 p.m.
@Dave...one who (legally) carries a gun, does so to preserve life, not only one's own, but anyone else that may be in eminent danger of death. Win has nothing to do with it, life is not a game. To people like you and me, a wallet is not worth your life..problem is, that's not how the criminal thinks, your "worth" has no factor as you are worth less than nothing to a criminal.
Major
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 3 p.m.
You are right, this isn't the wild west...it's something very much worse than that ever was!!!
Mitch
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 12:29 p.m.
When ever a cop shows up, it is to take a report if you are allowed to live. Or put you in a bag if the thug chooses. I will keep my choice and just scare them away before they ever get that far.
Dave
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 6:04 a.m.
Gotta ask what the logic is here.... You carry a gun. Thug pulls a knife on you: you win(?) Thug pulls a gun on you: ...shootout? You still don't 'win'. You potentially just put yourself in a more violent scenario. Your wallet isn't worth your life. Better to practice safer habits & petition for improved police presence.
Jimbo
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:18 a.m.
Yeah keep your guns at home so the only ones that are armed are the thugs. Let's help the bad guys out some more.
Mitch Smith
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:05 a.m.
Not paranoid when I have a handgun at hand. 300k of us have permission to carry concealed. I use it when convenient. Especially at Schools K-12 in Ann Arbor.
Mitch Smith
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:01 a.m.
You volunteer to get robbed or rapped. I pick up where the police leave off. And the City has let us down alot lately. And the Wild West was not that wild. Only in the movies.
Mitch Smith
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:27 a.m.
Crime Riddled? Really, most of this crime stays downtown where the student are forbidden from the tools they need to defend themselves. Out in the edges I carry a handgun to scare off creeps like these. And these silly students are scared of me in Kroger or Meijer's when I am buying milk. Proof positive Zombies exists.
Major
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:59 p.m.
Why only out on the "edges"? What do you mean by "scare off"?
Ann English
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 11:34 p.m.
I'm guessing that the gas station was a Speedway, across West Stadium from Ace. In a situation like the Jackson man's, it would be a good idea to have a cell phone and the friends' phone numbers entered into the cell phone, to find out why they didn't show up.
millermaple
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
not enough info as always! which hotel is nearby? did he walk from Briarwood or downtown? what time did this happen?
millermaple
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 1:48 p.m.
nvragin, those hotels are more like 2.5 miles away so to me the story is a bit odd, the hotels aren't exactly nearby
nvragain
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 11:13 p.m.
Weber's and clarion are about a mile away, if you live at miller and maple you should probably know this
EatKeyLimePie
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 9 p.m.
Thank goodness I only work in Ann Arbor and at the end of the day I can leave this crime ridden city behind me. This place is not safe!
Major
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:57 p.m.
Ever listen to local police radio scanner? Yep, it's bad, and been that way for years!!!
kingofannarbor
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 3:05 a.m.
I hear you Jimbo, I wish the local media would cover stories like this.
Jimbo
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
Ditto....the biggest lie out there is that this town is somehow safer than the towns that boundary it, such as Ypsilanti. In reality Ann Arbor is just as big as a hell hole as any of them. It is no different than Inkster, Ypsilanti, or even Detroit. the media just keeps it quiet. It is high time for all citizens in all cities to arm themselves and help out law enforcement.
ranger007
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
A recent article about 40 B&E's in ann arbor...2 people robbed/jumped by people with weapons in the last few days..yet they say crime is down..I don't see it or is it just me
genericreg
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
The man was walking through the PARKING LOT of Ace Barnes Hardware in the 2100 block of West Stadium Boulevard toward a gas station, Bush said. About halfway through the INTERSECTION, He later went to the emergency room to be treated for a bump on the head abrasion, bruise, contusion , cut, gash, laceration, scrape, scratch, sore
Kyle Feldscher
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:26 p.m.
I've changed intersection to parking lot, as it should be. Thanks for pointing that out.
Mitch
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.
It could be around the corner at the apartments too.
smokeblwr
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 7:47 p.m.
Heh....I'm sure the cops don't have to go far to find suspects. Just walk up the hill behind this parking lot to Maple Road....