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Published on 08/04/1999 All articles from this issue

Woman beaten, robbed at knife-point at Rancho Shopping Center - merchants warned

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Six men mugged and robbed a woman at knife-point as she headed to her car after work at Clarke's Charcoal Broiler at Rancho Shopping Center in Los Altos, police said.

The six white men in a black van, 17-19 years old, took the woman's necklace and her wedding ring during the 9:46 p.m., July 28 robbery, police said. They ripped her pocket while taking her money, and they removed her shoes from her feet, police said.

"They hit her a couple of times," said Noreen Sorg, public safety officer with the Los Altos Police Department. "She had a bruised jaw. It was pretty scary," Sorg said.

Sorg visited the Rancho Center on Thursday and warned merchants.

"No one has seen or heard anything," Sorg said. "Six guys hanging around - that's not too subtle," she said.

Sorg offers some tips on how to survive a robbery:

1. Be aware of your surroundings. It's a good idea, especially for a woman, to have someone walk you out to your car.

2. Offer no resistance and remain outwardly calm.

3. Try to be aware of details of the robber's appearance. When he runs, note the colors of the clothes, the shoes.

4. Report a crime as soon as possible. "Time is really critical," she said. Call 911.

5. Write down every impression you have. Do not trust your memory.

"Remember," Sorg said, "your personal safety comes first and is certainly not worth risking your life for."