Women more cautious after robbery in downtown Knoxville

Women more cautious after robbery in downtown Knoxville

By JILL MCNEAL
6 News Anchor/Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Local women say there are more concerns for their safety after a woman was robbed at knife point near Market Square.     

A 28-year-old woman told police she left Preservation Pub late Wednesday night, got in her car in a nearby parking lot and didn't lock the doors.

That's when a man jumped into the car with her. 

The suspect is described as a white male, a little over six feet tall with a thick southern accent.     

The woman says her attacker forced her to drive to an ATM on Chapman Highway. The robber ran off once he made the victim drive him back to Market Square.

"I've always felt safe, until 25 minutes ago," says Rhiannon Chambers, who was walking alone in Market Square Thursday night.

"As I was leaving for my date, my sister and my mother both asked if they could drop me off because they felt like it wasn't very safe for me to come down here by myself," she says.

She declined the offer, but says she will have her date walk her back to her car. 

"I live pretty close to here, so when I come down here, I normally just kind of walk, sometimes by myself," says Sarah Chisholm, who says she won't make that mistake again.

"I'm definitely going to try to keep going in numbers. We rode together tonight so we wouldn't have to worry about walking anywhere alone," says Chisholm's friend, Alyssa Walker.

"Usually when it's later than seven I don't walk this far from my place," says Nicole Duquemin, who lives near Market Square and takes her dog out every night. 

"I haven't had any problems," she says.

She carries her pepper spray and tries to bring someone else along whenever possible.

"I have a dog so I have to walk alone sometimes, but I definitely need to be more cautious and on the lookout," Duquemin says.

Police remind everyone to lock your doors as soon as you get in your car.