A Porter Township resident was the victim of a strong-arm robbery on Tuesday on a South Shore commuter train, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) said.

NICTD Police Chief Bob Byrd told the Chesterton Tribune today that the robbery occurred around 5:58 p.m. on eastbound Train 113, just before it left the Gary Metro Station.

Approximately two and half hours earlier, at 3:30 p.m., the 21-year-old woman advised police, she had met a woman named “Shayna” and her boyfriend “Lawayne” on the station platform. At some point the victim asked Shayna whether she could borrow her cellular telephone to make a few calls and Shanya agreed. Then, after using the cell phone for some time, the victim boarded Train 113 en route to the Dune Park Station, she advised police, at which point Shanya told the victim that she owed her money for the use of the phone.

The victim reached into her purse and gave Shanya a $5 bill, she advised police, but Shanya refused it and informed that victim that she wanted more. Shanya then grabbed the victim by the hair and threw her to the floor.

A conductor, hearing the ruckus, quickly arrived on the scene and escorted Shanya from the train, Byrd said, but Shanya re-boarded, began hitting the victim again, then reached into the victim’s purse, removed $45, and exited the train, which soon after departed the Gary Metro Station.

Shanya fled in a southwest direction, police said. Byrd did say that it would appear that Shanya’s boyfriend, Lawayne, was wholly unaware of the events on the train and had nothing to do with the robbery.

The victim sustained no injuries and refused offered medical attention, police said.

Shanya was described as a black female, around 20 years of age, 5’ 3’’ in height and 150 pounds in weight, with black hair and brown eyes.

She was wearing a gray hoodie sweatshirt and blue jeans. Lawayne was described as a black male, around 21 years of age, 6’ 0’’ in height and 180 pounds in weight, wearing a white hoodie sweatshirt with marijuana patterns and blue jeans.

Posted 4/10/2008