University students returning to Grounds have more to worry about than getting into classes or tough professors -- a rape and a slew of robberies occurred in Charlottesville over winter break.
A 46-year-old female was raped in her Belmont Park home, according to Charlottesville Police Lt. J.W. Gibson. The rape occurred Jan. 11 around 7:30 p.m. after the woman returned home to find a 20- to 25-year-old African-American male in her house.
"We do not believe that anything was taken," Gibson said. "He had armed himself with a cutting instrument" and proceeded to rape her.
Gibson added that although the attacker shared some similarities with the Charlottesville area serial rapist, including a height of about 5 feet 10 inches and a medium build, police cannot positively determine if the serial rapist has struck again until forensic evidence comes back.
"Rapes are not an unusual event, unfortunately," Gibson said. "Whether it's the serial rapist or not, it creates the same amount of concern for folks."
Police also are searching for a team of two African-American males after recent reports of robberies in the area. At least three cases of theft have been committed by people bearing similar descriptions. Police declined to comment on additional related incidents because of pending investigations.
"The crimes are all consistent with the group of robberies that we've been investigating -- they have matching descriptions," Gibson said. "Whether it's the same men or not is not clear yet, but there have been a couple [of robberies] in that general area" of the Corner, near 14th and Wertland Streets.
In one incident, a 21-year-old University student reportedly was robbed by an 18- to 22-year-old African-American male while visiting a friend in the 1000 block of Wertland Street. While parking her vehicle Dec. 21 around 10:30 p.m., the female noticed someone observing her and remained in her car until they left, Gibson said. Once she exited the vehicle, the same person came up to her and demanded her purse without using a weapon. She gave up the object without resistance and the suspect fled on foot.
In another instance, a University employee had her purse stolen Dec. 15 around 8:30 p.m. in the 800 block of West Main Street. The assailant was described as a 16-year-old African-American male, Gibson said.
Another reported attack occurred outside Frank's Pizza on 14th Street Dec. 20 around 11 p.m. A 28-year-old man unaffiliated with the University was confronted by two African-American males, one of whom displayed a knife and demanded money, according to Gibson. When Lucero resisted, the attackers banged his head against the window of Frank's Pizza and Lucero sustained lacerations on his face. Gibson said it is unclear whether the injuries resulted from the knife or the window. The men fled after taking an undisclosed sum of Lucero's money.
Gibson said police do not believe the suspects are particularly targeting University students or employees.
"Those areas [near the Corner] are just heavily foot-trafficked and you've got to have foot-traffic to have robberies," Gibson said. The recent rash of robberies is "something that started up in the fall, really around December, and cold weather may influence it. It may be that since it just turned cold in the last weeks, there are fewer people walking around and people tend to bundle up. The assailants might decide just to stay inside and do something else."
After an incident occurred across the street from a Woodard Properties' holding, Woodard employee Joy Waring sent out a memo to residents cautioning them about the criminal activity.
"We always have something in our newsletter about crime and safety in general, but that was the first notice I had sent out specifically in regards to the crimes that have taken place," Waring said. "Since many of our residents were out of town, I was concerned they wouldn't know about it when they came back, and it was something they should be aware of. It seems to be occurring more frequently."
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