Hey, ladies, PLEASE take time to read the email below. This
> is a friend of mine. She lives in PA but was home for the
> Thanksgiving Holiday. Please read what she encountered at
> Valley View this past Friday and pass along to everyone one
> you know. Be careful out there.
>
>
>
> I'm writing a personal note to all of you; especially
> those who live in the Roanoke/Salem, VA area, so that you
> can be aware and much more cautious of your surroundings.
>
>
>
> This past Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, my
> sister-in-law asked if I'd like to go to Valley View
> Mall around 6:30 in the EVENING. Knowing from past
> experience that all of the heavy "black Friday"
> shopping is over by late afternoon, I agreed to go. There
> were multiple parking spaces open near the door, as most of
> the shoppers were home resting at this point in the day. We
> went in the JCPenney catalog entrance, and agreed to split
> up and meet again around 8pm.
>
>
> I was not shopping for anything specific, so I ended up
> entering Belk at the upstairs entrance and browsed. I
> worked my way around to the left of the store, where I tried
> on multiple coats and jackets. The store on that side was
> practically empty. I kept working my way towards the back
> of the store, stopping to look at various items. When I
> reached the left rear of the the store (again, upstairs
> Belk), I looked up and saw a sign that said
> "RESTROOMS". I decided I could stand to go. As I
> stepped through the doorway, there is a small hallway, with
> water fountains directly ahead, men's room entrance
> directly to the left rear, and about 4 steps to the right
> and forward is the ladies' room. As soon as I stepped
> into the hallway, I immediately felt someone right on me. I
> turned and looked up, and there was a HUGE black man with a
> HUGE head, about 6'2, maybe 300 lbs., mid-twenties to
> early 30's, very fair skinned black (bi-racial), with a
> shaved head. I had seen him in the store earlier and really
> hadn't given him a second thought, but as I was entering
> the very short hallway to the restrooms, he was there. Keep
> in mind the store was pretty much dead; there were
> absolutely no shoppers in that particular corner of the
> store at the time. As I looked up, I said "Excuse
> me", and he mumbled "Excuse me", and he went
> directly in the men's room to the left. I took the 4
> steps or so that it took to go to the women's room door,
> pushed the door open, and immediately assessed the
> situation: no one in ladies room, no one in department; and
> I quickly backed out of the foyer and back into the store
> among the clothes racks, all the while watching the hallway
> to the restrooms. This may take several minutes to read and
> explain, but what just happened probably took less than 15
> to 20 seconds. This man, thinking that I'm in the
> ladies' restroom and at this point would've been in
> a very vulnerable position, came out of the men's room
> and charged directly into the women's room, again,
> thinking I'm there. He never looked up as he was
> crossing the entrance to the hallway, or he would've
> seen me standing back in the store. Instead, he went
> directly into the ladies' room. Of course upon not
> seeing me in there, he came straight back out, looked around
> and when we made eye contact, I was about 6 or 7 clothes
> racks away. He then made a B-line straight to the mall exit.
>
>
>
> It took me a few seconds to realize the full impact of what
> ALMOST just happened, and a minute or so for it to fully
> sink in. I immediately notified a Belk employee, who
> contacted security, but of course by then this man was long
> gone and technically hadn't done anything to anyone.
> Regardless, I talked to another security guard, then called
> and spoke with a Belk manager when I returned home, who told
> me that they have cameras scanning that area and that she
> would have "loss prevention" check the tapes. I
> returned to the store the next day to personally speak to
> the manager. She told me that since the cameras
> "scan", it apparently didn't scan the restroom
> area at that time. I asked her to PLEASE make sure that the
> girls who work there are aware of what happened so that they
> could be careful, and then I went upstairs in Belk
> personally and spoke with any employee who wasn't with
> a customer at the time to make them aware of the situation
> and to please be careful.
>
>
>
> OK. At the very least that would've happened if my
> instincts hadn't kicked in (and of course I'm aware
> that my Lord was watching over me), I would've at least
> been mugged. I personally feel that it would've been
> much worse than that. This guy was so huge that I'm
> sure my head would've been cracked open on the hard
> bathroom floor. I was pretty shaken as the full reality
> sank in, and had previously asked God to let me run into
> some friends I know. Within minutes after the incident, I
> ran into a friend from Bonsack Baptist (who's 13-yr old
> daughter was shopping alone at the time), then ran into my
> dear friend Cindy (Gillespie) Whittaker, along with her 2
> sisters and niece. Of course I was spreading the word of
> caution to them. By the time I reached Penney's where I
> was to meet my sister-in-law, I was so shaken that I broke
> down and called my brother Jerry, who of course came
> straight to the mall and escorted us out.
>
>
> When I contacted my niece who frequents the mall, she told
> me about the girl who was raped in the dressing room at
> Abercrombie & Fitch. The manager of Belk confirmed this
> story as she was upset that the mall managers had not been
> made aware of the incident so that they could caution their
> employees, but instead they had learned it when it hit the
> news. Our prayers need to go out to this young girl who was
> raped and traumatized in the mall dressing room.
>
>
>
> I'm sorry for making you read such a long letter, but
> just want you to please, PLEASE be aware of your
> surroundings, and especially if you're entering any
> public restroom. You are in a very vulnerable position at
> that point.
>
>
> Please pass this on to any family/friends, daughters,
> mothers, sisters, etc. You just can't be too careful.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Vicky Poff
please include your user name on refundsweepers.
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THANKS!! 1|1|No one is safe anywhere anymore...read inside please..|Skaytes|skaytez@gmail.com|07:15:06|12/04/2008|
A friend told me the other day that a week or so ago, someone they knew was assalted in a Big Lots store. They mentioned the name but I knew who it was in name only, but not personally know them. Anyhoo..this happened in a small town just about 1/2 hour south of where we live. It was just after dark and their car was right outside the store...just a short walk from the door in the first parking space. They think there were 3 young males but only caught 2 of them so far. They hit her in the head with a baseball bat & robbed her. Obviously they were out to truly hurt ..maybe kill her..using a baseball bat..they KNEW what they were doing. The one kid is being tried as a adult, but up in the air at this point if the other is going to be tried like that and they are still looking for that 3rd suspect.
The gal survived but has many stitches and a bad concussion of course. I hadn't been in that Big Lots for quite a while and definately will never go there after dark now for sure! Just goes to show you that (a) this stuff can happen in ANY town, not just large cities/malls and (b) the attackers where caucasian as well so NOT of another race etc. which most people usually assume they are.
Just keep your eyes..and ears!..open especially during the holiday season and be aware of your surroundings at ALL times! With the economy getting tougher all the time, I am sure we will continue to see more and more of this type of thing as well. Not just robberies, but rapes and all kinds of crimes. People will get frustrated, desperate etc and take out that anger etc in many different ways on others unfortunately. You couldn't get me to set foot in a mall this year for no amount of money...just too scarey. Stay safe everyone!! 2|1|Oh my...how truly frightening!|shelly|shellysue49@gmail.com|09:49:24|12/04/2008|
I copied & pasted and then emailed friends/family. Thanks for the warning! So glad the situation turned out well.
Shelly 3|1|With so many things coming as emails, one is never sure if these things are totally true...although in this case the detail is such, I am sure the lady lived through something scary.|suezz|clearys@comcast.net|10:44:34|12/04/2008|
That being said, I certainly understand the horror of being in an isolated ladies room and fearing someone coming in. I have noticed that too many rest rooms are isolated...especially in places like factory outlet malls ( of which we have many in my area). For years now, I have been fearful of going down these long corriders to the rest room. I don't think the planners are planning well security wise....just assuming that they should be tucked out of the way.
You may be safe 99 times out of 100, but that one time when you cross paths with the wrong person is the problem.
*******************************
Please include your RS screen name when you contact me in response to a posting. Thanks
4|2|a guy in our church was telling the choir members about his cousin last nite|lydzkydz|lydzmcss@yahoo.com|11:39:45|12/04/2008|
his cousin lives in northern VA
and these 4 black guys told him they didn't like his looks so they beat him almost to death
it is scary to go out anymore
i may have to start going to grocery store in the day time
urghhh
every one please stay safe!!
please include your user name on refundsweepers.
i appreciate all the trades made in the past.
THANKS!! 5|3|It is very scary.....That is why I don't like to be out at night unless Will is with me~*~|RebekkaVA|queen_vulture@msn.com|12:22:23|12/04/2008|
~*~REBEKKA~*~
a.k.a. "Queen Vulture"
Married to my Soul Mate William
"My husband has cancer, Please pray for him"
Mommy to:
Timothy 5/80
Matthew 10/92
Cheyenne 9/99
*EMAIL*: queen_vulture@msn.com