By George Anderson
Violent crime taking place in the parking lots of retail establishments has taken on a higher profile in the news.
Last year's sniper shootings in the Washington, DC area and the recent arrest of Derrick Todd Lee, the alleged serial killer in a string of murder cases in Louisiana involved crimes taking place in the parking lot of retailer.
Last Friday, an 81-year old woman was the victim of a carjacking in the parking lot of a Shaw's in Connecticut, according to a report on the NBC 30 Web site.
According to NBC 30, authorities said the woman was pulled from her car and thrown to the ground. The woman's attackers described as a man and woman proceeded to run the woman over with her car before leaving the lot.
Moderator's Comment: Is violent crime becoming more common in the parking lots of retailers?
Consumers would be startled to discover that, once they leave the confines of a store, they are literally on their own from a retailer's perspective. [George Anderson - Moderator]