Carjacking is on the rise; here's how you can protect yourself



Carjackings are on the rise — and they're no longer just confined to certain cities or neighborhoods.

Gas stations, parking lots, even the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru — it could happen anywhere.

Whether you've just arrived somewhere or are about to leave, DON'T linger in your car checking your phone (something we all tend to do). This makes you a target!

So how can you prevent being a victim — and what should you do if a carjacker targets you?

Be aware

The most basic precaution you can take is simply to be aware of the threat. Fear shouldn’t rule your life, but you should always be aware of your security and surroundings the same way you keep an eye on the road.

Pay attention to who and what is around you. Trust your gut if something doesn't feel right. Avoid contact with pedestrians and other drivers, including eye contact. Do not roll your window down for anyone except those you know and law enforcement officers.

Secure your vehicle

Another obvious and simple measure is to keep your car doors and windows closed and locked.

Also, keep computers, cell phones, purses, wallets, and other valuables on the floor of the car and out of sight.

Plan ahead

Plan ahead and think about your reactions to “what if” scenarios. What would you do if the car in front of you slammed on the brakes or if a threatening person approached your car while stopped at a traffic light?

The carjacker is counting on the element of surprise, but you can counter the attack with a surprise of your own: a calm, quick response to his attempt, such as hitting the gas and getting away.

Again, trust your instincts. For such a response to a carjacker to be effective, it must be sure and fast.

And always keep your cell phone out and ready to call 911 if necessary.

Secure yourself

Your car is only one aspect of a carjacking. There are several steps you can take personally to make yourself safer and less likely to be a victim of a carjacking:

  • Whether you've just arrived somewhere or are about to leave, DON'T linger in your car checking your phone (something we all tend to do). This makes you a target!
  • Before you exit your car, take a quick look at your surroundings.
  • Before you enter your car, do the same; also make sure nobody is in, behind, or under the car.
  • Add or remove items from your trunk quickly.
  • Park in well-lit, high-traffic areas.
  • Walk from offices or other buildings to vehicles in pairs or larger groups. Or find a security guard to assist you if available.
  • Use valet parking or an attended garage if you’re driving alone.
  • Take your earphones out when pumping gas and walking to and from your vehicle.
  • Watch out for people loitering in the area, handing out flyers, for example, or sitting in parked cars.
  • Don’t park in isolated or visually obstructed areas near walls or heavy foliage.
  • Be especially careful when refueling a rental car on your way to returning it; obvious visitors — and their luggage — make tempting targets.
  • If someone tries to approach you as you near your parked car, change direction, or run to a busy store.
  • If you are bumped in traffic, drive to a busy, well-lit area or a police station. There's always the chance the "accident" was a ruse to get you out of your car.
  • If you have car trouble such as a flat tire or dead battery, call AAA or another roadside assistance service if possible. Exercise reasonable caution when accepting help from a random passerby.

If you are carjacked

  • Don't resist giving up your car and any possessions or money to an armed or potentialIy armed carjacker. Your priority is to get away.
  • Never agree to be kidnapped. Throw the cars keys and run and scream for help.
  • Once you are safe, call the police immediately to report the crime and provide detailed information about your car.
  • If the carjacker forces you to drive, consider crashing your car near a busy intersection to attract attention so bystanders can come to your aid and call the police.

'Mess around and find out': Thief tries to rob the wrong car, gets 'butt whipped' by 66-year-old Florida man



A Florida man suffered a demoralizing comeuppance when he attempted to carjack the wrong person, according to police.

A car thief reportedly attempted to steal a vehicle that was parked outside a residence early Thursday morning. The owner heard a commotion outside his home and called 911 after seeing a man attempting to break into his car.

The suspect – identified by police as 29-year-old Blake Robinson – was confronted by the 66-year-old owner of the vehicle before law enforcement arrived at the crime scene.

Authorities said the pair got into a physical altercation and Robinson knocked the owner to the ground and then kicked him in the head. However, Robert Polk fought back and was able to incapacitate Robinson until police arrived.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook, "Welcome to Brevard County, where we proudly support… 'Play stupid games…win stupid prizes.'"

Brevard County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at the crime scene and arrested Robinson, who allegedly had blood around his mouth and "was seemingly having a tough time getting up off of the ground, after getting his butt whipped by a 66-year-old man!"

The sheriff's office wrote, "That’s right Mr. Tough Guy, Robinson, got manhandled by a 66-year-old man who thankfully only required brief medical treatment and was left without any serious injuries!"

Deputies noted Polk's face was red and swollen, and one of his ears was covered in blood.

Robinson needed to get medical attention after being beaten up by the owner, according to police.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office wrote, "As for Robinson, he was fortunate enough to be in Brevard County where he won a few prizes for being stupid including a chauffeured ride to a local medical facility to check his injuries before arriving at his less than luxurious accommodations at 'Ivey's Iron Bar Lodge! At the lodge he was given a freshly washed 2 piece ensemble to get comfortable in, before being shown to his sleeping area in our open floor plan."

Robinson was charged with burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and felony battery on a person over the age of 65. He was booked in the Brevard County Jail on a $30,000 bond.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the suspect "got an enhanced charge for hitting someone over the age of 65 who ended up whooping his punk butt!"

Ivey added, "As we like to say here in Brevard County, 'Mess Around and Find Out!'"

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Washington’s Sweeping Crime Wave Exposes The City’s Distorted Priorities

The plight of stores closing up and leaving the city stems largely from how policymakers have contributed to this mess.

Thugs sucker punch 'local legend' Vietnam vet, 81, while he's delivering pizzas in Chicago — then steal, crash his car



Ernie Aimone — an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran — has been delivering pizzas for Joe's on Higgins in Chicago for the last 40 years, WLS-TV reported.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Aimone was on the job like always Wednesday night, having just delivered a pizza in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on the city's northwest side, the station said.

While Aimone was crossing the street in the 5300 block of North Ludlam Avenue just after 9 p.m., he said he got punched from behind and ended up on the ground, WLS reported.

"They said, 'Gimme the keys, gimme the keys,'" Aimone recounted to the station. "And they sucker punched me from behind, hit me in the face. I was afraid for my life."

Aimone told WLS he didn't fight back and stayed face down in the street and listened as his assailants took off in his car. Chicago police confirmed Aimone's account, the station said, adding that state police hours later found Aimone's 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe on an expressway.

Turns out a chase ensued, after which the car crashed and sustained major damage, WLS noted, adding that police arrested a teen suspect and are looking for others.

— (@)

"He's like family to us," Frank Demonte with Joe's on Higgins told the station. "He's seen me grow up from very young. He worked for my dad."

Gina Demonte, also with Joe's on Higgins, added to WLS that "Ernie's very special to us. Always has been."

What's more, the station said many customers specifically request Aimone to deliver their pizzas.

With all the accolades around him, folks in the community offered to step up and help once word got out about what happened to Aimone, WLS said.

"He's like a local legend," Dan Ciolino with the Gladstone Park Chamber of Commerce told the station. "He's been loyal to Joe's for 40 years. He served our country. He deserves our support in his time of need."

Aimone's daughter Robyn told WLS, "It could have been a lot worse. I don't know what I would do without him."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

'I gotta live for them'

Despite an experience that would sideline many people, Aimone told the station he's not giving up — and will get right back to work once he has a car again.

"I got a daughter and a son," he told WLS. "I gotta live for them."

It seems Aimone might be able to get a new set of wheels pretty fast, as the Gladstone Park Chamber of Commerce started a GoFundMe page to support him — and as of Monday afternoon, more than $46,600 of the $75,000 goal has been raised.

From the GoFundMe campaign:

Vietnam Veteran Ernie Aimone has been a fixture on the Northwest side of Chicago for over 40 years and been a part of the team at Joe's Pizza for just as long — in fact he more than likely has delivered you and your family a pizza during that time if you ordered from Joe's! He's a proud Chicagoan, and proud Sgt. (retired) of the United States Army, serving in Vietnam for multiple tours. While he's become a bit of a local legend, he has fallen on hard times as of late. Just a few nights ago, Ernie was carjacked by multiple individuals, who stole his phone, took his car for a joyride, and left the vehicle extremely damaged. Ernie's main source of income is through delivering pizza for Joe's, and his insurance company wants to deny his claim, as he was carjacked while working. Not certain if he'll be able to pay for the repairs, or potentially for a vehicle which will allow him to continue working, our community is stepping in to help out! It's at times like these where our friends and neighbors need us most! Please consider donating whatever amount you can in support of Ernie in the hopes of getting things turned around for him! Ernie proudly served his country, and has been delivering to our community for years; and now it's time for us to deliver for him!

81-year-old veteran, pizza delivery man attacked, carjacked in Chicago: 'They sucker punched me' youtu.be

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Carjackings, Looting, And Murder: ‘Equity’ In Action!

More theft and violence are the natural result of the Democrats' push for 'diversity, equity and inclusion.' Law enforcement can't coexist.

Democratic Rep. Cuellar carjacked in Washington, DC



U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked Monday evening in the Navy Yard area of Washington, D.C., roughly a mile away from the U.S. Capitol.

Police indicated the incident took place around 9:30 p.m. at New Jersey Avenue and K Streets, reported the Washington Post.

"As Congressman Cuellar was parking his car this evening, 3 armed assailants approached the Congressman and stole his vehicle. Luckily, he was not harmed and is working with local law enforcement," Jacob Hochberg, Cuellar's chief of staff, said in a statement.

DC Alerts indicated that the suspects were black males wearing all-black clothing and had stolen a white Honda with Texas tags, which Hochberg indicated has since been recovered.

According to the New York Times, the congressman's iPad and iPhone had also been taken.

The U.S. Capitol Police reportedly now have investigators working with the Metropolitan Police on the case.

In response to Cuellar's carjacking, Utah Sen. Mike Lee wrote, "My friend, @RepCuellar (D. TX), became the victim of a crime tonight in what's considered a nice part of D.C. D.C. is dangerous. Something's gone terribly wrong here—for far too long. Congress has the sole power to make D.C.’s laws, and must intervene."

Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, similarly suggested that "this crisis in our nation's capital is, under the US Constitution, the responsibility of Congress. DO SOMETHING!"

Cuellar, a supporter of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act who has family in law enforcement, is the latest victim of a trend in the Democrat-run city that is getting aggressively worse.

Metropolitan Police Department records indicate motor vehicle theft is up 106% this year over 2022, with 5,398 reports of stolen vehicles.

Most types of crime are actually up in the city such that even the consulate for crime-ravaged Mexico has warned its nationals to "take precautions" in the city due to "a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe," reported ABC News.

Murders, of which there have been 215 already this year, are up 37%. Sex abuse is up 3%. Assaults with dangerous weapons are up 2%. Robberies, of which the city has seen over 2,600 in 2023, are up 68%. General theft is up 22%. Arson is up 125%.

Cuellar's carjacking is not the first time in recent months that a Democratic lawmaker has fallen victim to the crime now devouring D.C.

Rep. Angela Craig (D-Minn.) was attacked inside the elevator of her apartment building in February, reported Politico.

The deranged attacker, later identified as 26-year-old Kendrick Hamlin, entered the elevator along with the congresswoman, did some push-ups, then began punching Craig in the face and grabbing her neck. Craig reportedly escaped by dousing the suspect with hot coffee and then bolting.

Hamlin, accused of also attacking the two police officers who ultimately arrested him, pleaded guilty in June to assaulting Craig.

Other workers on the Hill have similarly been caught up in the worsening trend.

One of Sen. Rand Paul's aides was "brutally attacked in broad daylight" in March, reported NPR. The staffer, Phillip Todd, was stabbed multiple times and would likely have perished had it not been for the intervention of a friend.

The Hill reported that a staffer for Republican Rep. Brad Finstad (Minn.) was attacked in June outside his home, blocks away from the U.S. Capitol building.

The staffer, left with minor injuries, told MPD that "while walking home two males wearing black hoodies pushed him to the ground and pointed a black hand gun at him."

After D.C. marked its 200th murder earlier this month, Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has been at odds in recent months with soft-on-crime leftists on the D.C. Council, said the District was having a "bad year," reported the Washington Times.

This "bad" and ostensibly ever-worsening year might have something to do with the precedent set in 2022 by Matthew Graves, the Biden-appointed U.S. attorney for the District, who the Washington Examiner indicated had declined to prosecute nearly 70% of the people arrested by police.

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Video: 10-year-old allegedly steals SUV to visit mother, leads police on swerving interstate chase



Police apprehended a 10-year-old boy who allegedly stole an SUV and led officers on a chase down a Michigan interstate, MLive and Michigan State Police reported.

The Buick Encore driven by the child was stolen from a residence on Hess Avenue in Buena Vista, Michigan, state police from the bay region's third district said in a release on social media.

The boy, who had apparently been staying with relatives, had hoped to go to visit his mother over Memorial Day weekend, police told MLive. Buena Vista is only about eight miles from Detroit.

Police say Saginaw County Central Dispatch received a call from OnStar that the stolen vehicle was heading south on Interstate 75.

OnStar is a subscription-based service for vehicles that, among other features, allows remote access to a vehicle, including bringing it to a stop.

Troopers located the SUV near the Birch Run exit. When they attempted to stop the driver, however, the driver did not comply.

The Trooper drove behind the juvenile for about a mile with lights and sirens activated while the vehicle was being disabled remotely.

The silent, 31-second video provided by MSP's Third District shows the car swerving from lane to lane with its hazard lights flashing. The video was captured on the troopers' dash cam.

Fortunately, through OnStar, the vehicle eventually came safely to a stop after grazing a guardrail along the interstate.

The caper did not end there, however. After the car came to a stop, the boy climbed over to the passenger side of the car and took off on foot into some nearby woods. He did not get far, though, before troopers caught up with him.

Authorities say no one was injured in the potentially deadly incident.

The boy was taken to Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center but was no longer in custody there as of Monday, MLive reported.

The boy faces several counts, including unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding police, and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, the outlet also reported.

Watch the video from Michigan State Police Bay Region's Third District of a chase down Interstate 75 involving a 10-year-old boy in an allegedly stolen 2017 silver Buick Encore.

\u201cThe Trooper was behind the suspect for about a mile with lights & sirens activated while OnStar disabled the Buick, allowing for a safe stop. Thankfully, nobody was injured in this incident. Note: there is no sound in this video.\u201d
— MSP Third District (@MSP Third District) 1685630760

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Guardian of four teens arrested in Maryland for auto-theft reportedly pulled up to fetch them from police in a stolen car



Some alleged car thieves unwittingly gave Maryland patrol officers a hand last week, driving critical evidence right past the police station.

Officers in Charles County, Maryland, glimpsed two occupied Hyundai vehicles in a business parking lot while on patrol around 1:07 p.m. on May 16. According to police, a quick computer check revealed that both vehicles had been reported stolen.

Officers endeavored to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspects allegedly fled the scene.

While officers gave chase, a 911 call came in, revealing that bandits driving cars matching the description of the stolen vehicles had just knocked over a business at St. Charles Towne Center.

The suspects, alleged to have been fleeing a burglary in stolen property, sped to the Smallwood Park and Ride, where they ditched the vehicles. Despite making a concerted effort to hide, the alleged car thieves — two adults and four juveniles — were ultimately tracked down and arrested.

The chase may have come to an end, but it appears there were still yet other suspects keen to get caught.

The CCSO indicated that another stolen vehicle pulled up outside the station and dropped off the younger arrestees' guardian along with two other females, before trundling away.
While the trio of women — Carlisa Monnae Blackeney, 18, and Mahkiyh McQuinn-Woodly, 18, along with a female juvenile — went to take custody of the minors, officers searched the area for the third stolen vehicle, finding it on a nearby street.
The steering column on the vehicle was damaged and the back window had been busted in. According to the sheriffs office, 19-year-old Anthony Stewart and three additional juveniles were inside when they found the vehicle.

Officers reportedly ordered everyone inside the getaway vehicle to exit, but Stewart allegedly refused to comply and sped off, nearly running over and pinning one of the officers.

The sheriff's office stated that Stewart only drove a short distance before ditching the car, having not learned from Whitaker and Alston's earlier alleged failure. Stewart's three young passengers similarly piled out of the vehicle, said the CCSO.

After a brief foot chase, all of the stolen car's occupants were apprehended.

Stewart was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and providing a false name. The CCSO also discovered there had been outstanding warrants for his arrest.

The trio of minors who had allegedly been with him — a 16-year-old male with active arrest warrants, a 13-year-old female reported missing from a nearby county, and another juvenile — were all charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Blackeney and McQuinn-Woodly were charged with theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, among other charges.

Deshaun Deamonte Whitaker, 18, and Vincent Lee Alston, 21, of Washington, D.C., were similarly charged with theft, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and rogue and vagabond.

While Whitaker was released on a $2,000 unsecured bond on May 18, Alston remains at the Charles County Detention Center without bond.

The Charles County Sheriff's Office indicated that the four juveniles believed to be involved in the initial police chase were charged on a juvenile office report with theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Neighborhood Scout indicated that the chances of becoming a victim of a property crime in Maryland is 1 in 63.

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North Carolina couple outsmarts car thieves with Apple AirTag: 'They picked the wrong car'



A couple in North Carolina had their car stolen while they were asleep. However, they were able to locate the criminals within minutes, thanks to an Apple AirTag.

Antar and Leslie Muhammad woke up Saturday morning to discover that their Toyota Camry was stolen right out of their driveway in Cary, North Carolina.

Antar Muhammad told WRAL, "We woke up, and I looked outside, and I asked my wife, 'Hey, do you know your car's no longer in the driveway?'"

A doorbell camera caught the moment that thieves stole the Muhammads' car on Friday night.

"They were going around checking vehicles, and they thought they got lucky. They picked the wrong vehicle. They just didn’t realize it," Antar Muhammad said.

Luckily for the couple and unlucky for the criminals, the Muhammads wisely placed an Apple AirTag device in both of their cars.

An Apple AirTag is a small, lightweight disc that uses a technology called ultra-wideband and Apple's Find My app to provide precise location tracking capabilities. AirTags, which debuted in 2021, give Apple users the ability to track their wallets, luggage, keys, and more.

Antar told the local outlet, "One hundred dollars for a pack of 4 – it's one of the greatest security systems you can have. As soon as we get a new vehicle or new item – backpack or purse or luggage – I open one up and put one in just for safety measures."

Leslie said, "If there’s an easy, especially low-budget, way of finding a way to keep your home and family and items secure, that’s the best way to do it."

The couple used the Find My app to accurately track down the stolen vehicle within minutes.

"I'm able to pinpoint exactly where it's at and actually to zoom in and almost precisely pick out the parking space the car was in," Antar explained.

The thieves had driven the stolen car to a neighborhood about 12 miles away. The couple notified the local police, who then contacted the Durham Police Department.

Durham police officers found the couple's car, but the thieves had already crashed it. Durham police officers took three underage suspects into custody.

The couple said the entire ordeal was resolved in about two and a half hours.

"Thank God, we were safe. Nothing valuable was in there," Antar said.

Leslie added, "The way technology is advancing, I think so will the mindset of some of the thieves. I think it's important for people to be aware of what’s out there to support them when it comes to their own personal safety and your items – your home, your cars. If there's an easy, especially low-budget way, to keep your home and family secure, that’s the best way to do it."

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Seattle man, fed up with rampant crime, uses drone to recover stolen property



One Seattle, Washington, resident angry over the lawlessness that continues to plague his hometown has decided to turn one of his hobbies into a crime-fighting apparatus.

What are the details?

Tony, a 39-year-old husband and father who recently had his car broken into and his trailer stolen, now uses his drone to help others recover their stolen property, KCPQ-TV reported.

"People who steal from other people I feel are some of the worst scum on the planet. I hate them," Tony told the news outlet in a recent interview. "If I can do anything to stop them, or help people who have been victims, I'd like to be a part of that."

Recent Seattle data shows that more than 2,000 cars have been stolen in the city since the start of the year, and other burglaries and thefts total more than 13,000.

Disgusted with the rampant crime, Tony began searching for ways to locate his own property. That's when he stumbled upon a helpful Facebook group called "PNW Stolen Cars," a forum where auto theft victims can share information about their stolen property in hopes of recovering it.

The group reportedly led Tony to an encampment underneath the First Avenue Bridge in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. The trash-filled area is apparently well known as a chop shop where people illegally deconstruct cars to sell their parts and homeless people use illicit drugs in plain sight.

"It's just a big open piece of land. It's completely taken over with trailers and cars and trash — lots of trash. Absolutely disgusting," Tony said after flying his drone over the area.

He said he grew suspicious when one time he "saw somebody walk around with a Sawzall and they were getting underneath a car" and noted that the encampment is filled with rows and rows of cars, many completely destroyed.

West Seattle man using drone to help recover stolen cars | FOX 13 Seattle www.youtube.com

What else?

Tony has since flown his drone over the area on multiple occasions in search of stolen property. He told KCPQ that he's already helped two people recover their vehicles.

"First one, they saw it, and unfortunately by the time they got down there with the cops, the car was completely destroyed," he told the outlet.

As for the second one, Tony recalled, "It got to be a little hairy. They were driving on the shoulder, then we got into some residential neighborhoods up in Burien, and they were going really fast and reckless."

Eventually the thieves ditched the car because they knew they were being monitored, and the rightful owners were able to find it later.

On another occasion, some of the thieves in the encampment noticed Tony's drone flying overhead. One took out what appeared to be a pistol and fired a shot, striking the drone less than an inch away from its lens. Fortunately, the weapon turned out to be just a BB gun.

Tony told KCPQ that he plans to continue searching the area and others like it with his drone and is willing to work with the Seattle Police Department to help crack down on car thefts.

"Unfortunately, just feels like the police have their hands tied behind their backs and you just can't do anything," he said.

Anything else?

According to KIRO-TV, Seattle police have been aware of the encampment under First Avenue Bridge for months but have been unable to do much about it.

Jamie Housen, spokesperson for Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office, confirmed to the outlet that "over the last several months, the city has received complaints regarding a variety of issues in this area, including encampment obstructions, trash build-up, environmental impact and public safety."

Housen added that the Seattle Police Department is responsible for addressing any illegal activity in the area, which is jointly owned by the state and the city.

But according to Jim Fuda, director of Crime Stoppers Puget Sound, only so much can be done, given police staffing shortages.

"You can only do so much, with so many officers," Fuda said, noting that "auto theft has been lumped into general investigations unit with fraud, theft, those kind of property crimes."