A third carjacking-robbery in less than a week occurred Sunday night at East 18th Avenue and Willamette Street, Eugene police reported late Sunday.
At 10 p.m. Sunday night a 30-year-old woman stopped at Blockbuster on Willamette Street to drop off a video when two men forced their way into her car, police said.
Local media previously reported the third carjacking occurred at East 18th Avenue and Chambers Street because of an error in an Eugene Police Department press release.
Detective Dan Braziel of the EPD violent crimes unit said at a press conference Monday that police believe the same two suspects are involved in all three incidents.
“At this point, it’s highly probable that this is a robbery series, involving the same two suspects,” he said.
The similarity of the incidents, the first of which occurred at East 14th Avenue and Kincaid Street at about 3 a.m. Wednesday and the second of which occurred at the Fred Meyer parking lot on West 11th Avenue just after 7 p.m. Saturday, leads police to believe that another robbery may be likely.
“This is a very unusual type of robbery,” Braziel said. In his 10 years working in Eugene, Braziel said, he has never seen a crime spree similar to this.
Braziel said the public should be concerned and vigilant, as the serial robberies have the potential to continue and become violent.
None of the victims in the three incidents has been physically harmed, but all believed they were in danger.
“The victims were scared for their lives at the time,” Braziel said. “They are emotional and upset, as anyone would be.”
The victims in all three incidents were threatened with the use of a weapon, police have reported.
The detective could not confirm whether police patrol would increase in response to the incidents. He said EPD is too understaffed to canvas the area for possible witnesses.
Braziel said he could not disclose how much money has been stolen or whether victims have seen a weapon.
“The best advice is to try to be in a position where this is not going to happen to you,” he said.
Police said one suspect is described as a white male, 5-feet-5 inches to 5-feet-9 inches tall. The other suspect is described as a male with dark skin, 5-feet-7 inches to 5-feet-9 inches tall. Both men are said to be in their early- to mid-20s.
Police have released two ATM surveillance photos, and Braziel said EPD will continue to collect footage from ATM and store cameras. Braziel asks that anyone with information contact him at 682-6804.
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Crime spree persists
Daily Emerald
June 1, 2009
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