WASHINGTON — A 35-year-old woman says a man exposed himself inappropriately to her while she was in the Duncan Library in Alexandria.
Police say the victim was inside the library on the 2500 block of Commonwealth Avenue when an unknown black man approached her and exposed himself. She contacted the police, but the suspect had left the area by the time they arrived.
The Alexandria Police Department is reminding residents to take care to protect themselves from such incidents by taking a few simple steps.
- Walk in well-lit and well-traveled areas
- Walk with others whenever possible
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times
- Call 911 immediately if you are involved in a crime
Also, as the new school year begins, police remind parents to take special precautions with their children and teach them how to stay safe.
- Map out a way for them to walk to the bus or school, avoiding busy roads and intersections
- Do a trial run with them, pointing out places they should avoid along the way, such as vacant lots, construction areas and parks where there aren’t a lot of people
- Encourage them to walk to school or the bus with a friend
- Teach them not to talk to strangers, accept gifts from strangers or go anywhere with strangers
- Teach them to tell you if they see someone or something suspicious
- Help them memorize their phone number and address, including area code and zip code
- Write down other important phone numbers, such as your cell and work phone numbers, to keep with them
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