BART Riders Pepper-Sprayed In Robbery Attempt

BAY AREA — Two people were pepper-sprayed during a robbery attempt aboard a BART train in San Francisco Saturday night, according to BART Police, who say the victims were not injured. The suspect is described as a female juvenile who was with a group of about 10 other juveniles.

The crime was reported at 8:48 p.m. BART Police say the suspect pepper-sprayed a woman and her male companion. The suspect and her companions ran off the train at the Embarcadero station and got away.

The suspect is described as a black juvenile female, wearing a pink shirt and denim shorts. BART has not released photos of the suspect.

Back in April, a mob of 40-60 teens stormed onto a train in Oakland, robbing multiple riders of bags and cell phones and injuring at least two people. BART refused the release photos of the suspects following that incident, saying the agency needed to protect the identifies of the juveniles involved.

>>Teen Mob Storms BART, Injures & Robs Passengers On Pleasanton/Dublin-Bound Train

Meanwhile, one man was arrested at the Lafayette BART station Sunday morning for allegedly trying to steal another man's suitcase. Police say the suspect punched the man in the face when he tried to stop the theft. Other passengers stepped in to help the victim. The suspect is charged with robbery, and possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia.

The Lafayette crime happened around 10 a.m.

BART's ridership has fallen in both 2016 and 2017. While some former riders blame unreliable service, others say they feel unsafe on BART following high-profile crimes.

— Bay City News contributed to this report; AP Photo/Ben Margot, File

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