Drivers Surprised By Parking Garage Kidnapping Report

WLWT.com

CINCINNATI --

In the wake of a woman's report that she was abducted from a downtown parking garage Wednesday evening, some drivers said they were surprised that something like that would happen.

"I'm not saying it's not credible. I'm just saying it would be really surprising in a place like this," Margaret Adriatico said. "I just consider downtown to be incredibly safe, especially this area with so many people here and, you know, it's very open. You got a lot of police on patrol on foot."

Drivers said they were surprised because, as parking garages go, the Sycamore Street garage where the abduction took place is well-lit, busy, open and not a place they would expect a criminal to haunt.

Images: Garage Kidnapping Investigation

"There's people that go in and out of that garage daily, anytime of night. I've parked there in the middle of the night," Jason Tabe said.

"The garage is open on the side so that you can see in and see out and you can hear," Jeff Raser said. "The only suggestions I might make are about the stairwells. When you go in the stairs, it's a little bit closed in."

The woman told police she was walking to her car at about 6:30 p.m. when a man approached, threatened to harm her, then forced her to drive him to West Price Hill.

At the end of a dead-end street, the woman said the man hit her several times and robbed her before escaping on foot.

Two other women have since reported encounters with the man in the minutes before the abduction.

As word spread about the crime, information was posted on some of the interior walls of nearby buildings.

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The woman gave police a description of a white man in his 20s, with light hair and a name tattooed on his neck beginning with the letter L.

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Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040.

Safety Tips:

Walk with purpose- A quick, purposeful walk, sends signals to predators that you're not an easy mark.

Keep one hand free at all times.

Have your keys ready.

Never stand next to your car searching through your purse- Robbers, car-jackers and sexual predators all watch for this type of distraction.

Once in your car, lock the doors immediately and get moving.

Never approach your vehicle if anyone is loitering near it.

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