Carjackings have Baltimore's Hampden community on edge

BALTIMORE -- At least two carjackings over the weekend have Hampden on edge.

In one incident around 5 p.m. Sunday near Union Avenue and Clipper Mill Road, police told WJZ the victim was allowed to get her child from her car before the armed carjackers sped off with it. 

"3600 Clipper Mill Road. Female customer and her child were carjacked at gunpoint," a dispatcher said in audio reviewed by WJZ. "It's going to be a black Infiniti Q50S, and the suspects were in a black Nissan Altima with the back windshield covered by a blanket."

"That's terrifying. Thank god she was able to get her kid out," said Hampden resident Chenoa Vogel-Levin. "If something happened to a child in this neighborhood, I'd be screaming right now. This is insane."

A witness said the other incident happened on Union Avenue Saturday—also just before 5 p.m.—and the victims rushed into the Subway on Falls Road for help. A worker at the restaurant told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren one of them had a bloody gash near his eye. 

Police said the 23-year-old and 26-year-old victims were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

In a news release Monday afternoon, police said they have arrested 18 juveniles over the past week for various criminal offenses including armed carjackings and stealing cars. 

Those arrested include two 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old who carjacked a 76-year-old man at gunpoint in the 2700 block of Wegworth Lane in South Baltimore. Police said one suspect had been arrested three times in the past for stealing cars. 

Also, Sunday night in the 4400-block of Park Heights Avenue, 7 juveniles between the ages of 12 and 15 were arrested for stealing cars. Police said of the suspects, a 15-year-old, had been arrested three times in the past. 

Juvenile arrests are up 29 percent over last year, according to police. 

Police said carjackings were down 24 percent year-over-year from 592 in 2022 to 452 so far in 2023.