Crime outbreak targets National Mall's tourists
WASHINGTON -- At night, the National Mall has an allure all its own, from the glow of the flood - lit dome of the Capitol to the lights of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial dancing off the Reflecting Pool. The air is clearer, the atmosphere quieter, the feeling more personal than during the day, when tourists crowd the famous landmarks.
So appealing is the nighttime atmosphere that it is attracting more and more company -- and couples, many of whom can be seen strolling arm in arm along the tree-lined paths that connect the historic sites.
But enticing as the Mall at night has become to locals and out-of-towners, it has also become more dangerous.
An outbreak of robberies and violent attacks has underscored an unpleasant reality that tourism officials would rather not acknowledge: The historic sites that make Washington a prime vacation destination are becoming rich hunting grounds for local criminals, especially after dark.
In the past month and a half, 12 people -- 10 of them tourists -- have been victims of armed robberies in the approximately seven-block stretch between the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building. All the incidents occurred at night. Two of them involved sexual assaults.
``That's more crime than we've had in the past five to 10 years," said Sergeant Scott Fear, a US Park Police spokesman, whose agency is responsible for patrolling the Mall area.
In response, city and federal law enforcement agencies have stepped up their coverage of prime tourist areas.
The surge in nighttime criminal activity not only casts a shadow over what for many visitors is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; it also threatens the city's economy. Tourism is the District of Columbia's number one private industry, and the museums, galleries, and public buildings along the Mall are among the most important attractions.
The Washington, D.C., Convention & Tourism Corp. estimates that 40 million people come to the National Mall & Memorial Parks every year. About 13,000 people a day exit the turnstiles at the Smithsonian Metro stop, which is near the center of the Mall and also close to where many of the recent crimes have occurred.
``It's a little disturbing as a tourist," said Elvira Vazquez, 30, who came to Washington along with five family members from South Central Los Angeles. ``Coming from South Central L.A., we feel we can handle anything . . . but that does make me concerned. I thought this area was safe.
``We were thinking of staying out late and waiting until they lit up the monuments. Now I'm thinking maybe we should stick together," she added, motioning toward her son and brothers, who were about 100 yards away at the base of the Washington Monument.
During the day, the Mall is abuzz with Washington workers and tourists with fanny packs -- often sweaty and sunburned, yet determined to make it to all the monuments and museums they have traveled so far to see.
But the shimmering nighttime transformation of the monuments creates a picture that, even after 41 years of living in the nation's capital and a career in the tourism industry, still gives Sue Porter goose bumps. ``Where else are you going to get those backdrops?" says Porter, director of tourism and visitor services for the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.
After-dark sightseeing has become a staple of tour agencies and attracts local residents as well as tourists.
``Our night tours are our specialty because the monuments are lit up at night and it's cooler outside," said Blair Brogan, assistant manager at City Segway Tours. At least a third of the 1,202 tours his company conducted in June were at night.
