
DATE: Wednesday, November 26, 1997          TAG: 9711260680

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HOLLY A. HEYSER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   82 lines

POLICE SAY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE MADE REST STOPS SAFER SOME DRIVERS ARE STILL WARY OF STOPPING, DESPITE POLICE CONFIDENCE.

Less than a year ago, three robbers killed a Pennsylvania motorist at a rest stop on I-95 in Prince William County.

Seven months ago, a robber murdered a motorist at an I-81 rest stop in Montgomery County.

And it's likely that, in less than 24 hours, you or someone you know will hit the road for the holiday.

Now, what happens when someone in the car has to ``go''?

Go ahead and use a rest stop, said state trooper Jeff Hyre, whose patrol area includes the Ironto rest area on I-81, where a motorist was found dead April 30. ``I encourage my wife and family to use them,'' he said.

Hyre's confidence in Virginia rest stops is prompted by the more than $800,000 the state has invested in security improvements since the murders:

Five rest stops now have 24-hour security guards.

Seven rest stops have satellite

offices for state troopers, who can drop in and do paperwork in conspicuous sight of would-be criminals.

At least four have remote monitoring systems that alert police to criminal activity.

Two rest stops have women's restrooms with special hooks on stall doors to prevent purse-snatching. More hooks are on order for the remaining 39 rest stops statewide.

At rest stops statewide, bushes are being trimmed and lighting is being increased to eliminate places where criminals might lurk undetected.

The Ironto rest area was one of the stops that received 24-hour security, and since then it's been ``relatively crime-free,'' Hyre said.

Col. W. Gerald Massengill, director of field operations for the State Police, said, ``We'd like to think our rest areas are as safe as we can make them. At least as safe as any 24-hour establishment you can find.''

Still, that doesn't mean visiting a rest stop is suddenly like going to church.

Norfolk resident Sonya Glover, 28, says she often uses rest stops along I-64, and she hasn't noticed anything that makes her feel safer.

``We go (to the bathrooms) in packs and watch the doors for each other,'' she said. ``It's just too dark, and there are too many cracks and bushes. People walk up to you asking for change, and it really scares you, like they're just waiting for you to pull out your wallet,'' she said.

While police like Hyre and Massengill believe security improvements have made rest stops more secure, it's too early to tell whether they've produced a drop in crime. Many of the measures began just this summer.

Officials know purse snatchings are down at rest stops, but they're down statewide. They know minor crimes such as being drunk in public are up, but that may be because police are around more often to catch people in the act.

And it looks like the number of armed robberies at rest stops this year is about the same as last, Massengill said. ``We haven't had any armed robberies where anyone has been hurt in several months. I don't recall anything with a significant loss or injury.''

But police agree that rest stops are still prime targets for criminals.

Cyndi Ward, director of special operations for the Virginia Department of Transportation, said VDOT and the State Police are taking ``strong measures'' to improve all the rest stops. ``We're constantly evaluating our rest areas,'' she said.

``But people (who use the rest stops) need to take strong measures as well,'' she said.

People should always lock their car, and leave their valuables locked in the trunk whenever possible, she said. And it's always a good idea to survey your surroundings closely.

``If it doesn't look right, don't go there,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

SAFETY TIPS

Don't leave the car unlocked.

Leave valuables locked in the trunk, or at least locked in the

car and covered with a coat or blanket.

Don't hang purses, bags or backpacks on a hook high on the

bathroom stall door - it's an easy target for purse-snatchers, and

you're not exactly in a position to give chase.

Walk in pairs whenever possible.

Be aware of your surroundings, and call the police if you see any

suspicious activity. KEYWORDS: REST STOP CRIME