Attempted Robbery at NorthPark Mall With Toddler in Car is Third Robbery There Since December

Brittany Arterberry

I was leaving the Apple Store at NorthPark yesterday about the time this allegedly happened. I saw no police or security as I left the north door of Nordstroms at about 5 pm, though I do recall a security alarm going off in the Apple store. I think NorthPark had better install gates on the parking garages, get more VISIBLE security, do SOMETHING to seriously amp up shopper security before we all start shopping at WillowBend Mall or on line. This is frightening. This is the third robbery in a NorthPark parking garage since December 23rd, when a 22-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint in a parking lot by multiple suspects. On January 16th,  a 61-year-old woman was pushed to the ground and robbed in a parking lot by one person.

On January 27, Brittany and James Arterberry were getting into their vehicle in the parking garage in the northeast corner of Northpark Mall (the one between the shopping center North Central Expressway) when a grey late ’90’s Buick LeSabre drove up to them. Two black male suspects and one black female suspect — all 3 — exited the vehicle and approached Mrs. Arterberry, who was apparently putting her child’s stroller in the trunk. One of the suspects sprayed Mrs. Arterberry with pepper spray, then tried to take her purse. Her husband confronted the three suspects (who continued pulling on Mrs. Arterberry’s purse and jacket, almost pulling her into the car with them). Thankfully a witness intervened who happened to have a pocketknife on them and confronted the suspects, while Mr. Arterberry pulled his wife out of the vehicle.  The suspects then fled in their auto. Even worse: according to a report on Fox4, the attackers struck while Mr. Arterberry was putting the couple’s toddler into her car seat:

Brittany Arterberry says two of the suspects yelled at her to give up her purse and pepper-sprayed her after she finished putting her 3-year-old’s stroller in the trunk. When she fought back, they tried throwing her into the back of their vehicle. She was half-way in when her husband managed to grab her leg and pull her out.

“By the end of the altercation, my hair was ripped out in pieces on the ground. I was able to finally choke out help and my husband was able to get out of the car and tried to get the attackers off of me but was only able to take one to the ground,” Arterberry said.

All three suspects were able to get away in a grey older model Buick. They only managed to steal Arterberry’s husband’s cell phone.

Arterberry says a witness called police as she ran inside Macy’s to try and wash the pepper spray out of her eyes. She was able to give suspect descriptions to police and says all three were African American, two men and one woman, all wearing sweats and hoodies which covered their faces. The victim describes one man to be in his early to mid-thirtes. The other two looked like they were in their twenties.

The Arterberrys said they are are just thankful the attackers didn’t touch their 3-year-old daughter, Abigail, who was in her car seat.

As Mrs. Arterberry said on camera, had she been alone, her child might not have a mother now, or her husband a wife, “all for an ipad and a Michael Kors handbag.” What is wrong with these attackers that they resort to this violence and crime? According to the Fox 4 report, NorthPark management has not yet responded. There were no security cameras in the parking garage, the victim said. Here’s hoping the cell phone helps track them.

Doubt we will see them wearing these clothes, but the suspects are described as a black male in his mid 30’s, 6’2” approximately 200lbs wearing a grey hoodie (of thermal fabric), grey sweat pants with red on them, another black male in his mid 20’s, 5’10” approximately 160 – 170lbs, and a skinny black female in her mid 20’s skinny and in clothing with a burnt orange or red stripe.

DPD case number is 021534-2016. Anyone with information on this is asked to call the Crimes Against Persons Division at (214) 671-3584. Persons who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (214) 373-TIPS (8477). And let’s be extra cautious when we leave our cars or head back to them at NorthPark Mall or really, any shopping center. Better yet, valet for security.