Father, daughter carjacked at Largo Metro station

By Dana Hedgpeth,

A father and daughter from Bowie were robbed by four men in ski masks in a parking garage at the Largo Town Center Metro station Wednesday morning, authorities said, and police are investigating whether the robbery is related to a similar incident last week.

The four assailants, who Metro Transit Police described during an afternoon news conference as young black men, robbed the 54-year-old father and his daughter, 21, in the stairwell on the fifth floor, authorities said.

They approached the two and demanded their belongings, taking money and their car, a Chevrolet Camaro, according to authorities. The father struggled with the men and was struck in the head with a gun; the woman was shot in the hip, said Metro Transit Deputy Police Chief Ron Pavlik.

The father and daughter were treated at a hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening. The man was expected to have been released Wednesday, authorities said.

Police are investigating whether the incident is related to a carjacking that took place at 9:30 a.m. Friday in a parking lot at the New Carrollton Metro station. In that incident, a man was robbed of his car after four men approached him. He suffered minor injuries.

“We think these two cases are connected,” Pavlik said. “Both of these are crimes of opportunity.”

In Wednesday’s incident, police recovered the victims’ orange 2010 Camaro in the 3100 block of Banneker Street NE with the help of the car’s navigation system.

Metro has 86 stations. About 65,000 cars park daily at its garages and lots. Metro Transit Police said they regularly patrol lots and garages and would do more given the seriousness of the recent incidents.

Police warned Metro riders to be aware of their surroundings.

“We patrol all stations and parking lots,” Pavlik said. “This crime is unique given the time of day. Most crimes happen at darkness.”