NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (WKBN/WHTM) – Some among Pennsylvania's Amish community are concerned that someone may be targeting them, after two buggies were held up at gunpoint, according to State Police.
"Last Thursday evening, there was an armed robbery. A vehicle stopped an Amish buggy, pulled up in front of him, pulled him over and by gunpoint, he robbed an Amish man, took his wallet," Susan Hougelman, a tour operator who runs Simple Life Amish Tours in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, told Nexstar's WKBN.
While State Police were at the scene, they learned of a similar incident that also involved a small black sedan and an Amish buggy, according to Nexstar's WHTM. The sedan drove up next to the buggy and the car's driver ordered them to stop and hand over their wallet, the would-be victim told investigators.
The driver of the buggy refused, however, and the suspect drove off.
In both cases police described the suspect as a male with dark clothes and a medical mask.
Hougelman said she believes the buggies were targeted.
"There's no one else going to be driving an Amish buggy but an Amish person so I think they were targeting the Amish," Hougelman said.
To help her Amish friends, Hougelman started a social media campaign with the slogan "I Stand With Our Amish Community."
"I wanted them to, the Amish community, to know that we do support them and we are going to be out there," Hougelman said. "And I think, primarily, people in the United States know the Amish are such a peace-loving, kind group of people and they definitely want to support and help the Amish."
Hougelman also wants people to be alert if they're driving around New Wilmington and, if they see something suspicious, to call the police.