19 Carjackings, Including 5 Bump-And-Run Incidents, Reported In Chicago In Recent Days; Police Urge Caution
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the city's carjacking crisis continues, now there is a crew rear-ending Chicago drivers with stolen cars just to carjack them – in what are known as bump-and-run carjackings.
As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported, Chicago Police and their task force dedicated to these crimes have issued a warning after five such incidents within just the past few days.
Those bump-and-run carjackings were among 19 total carjackings since we last took a deeper dive into this issue on Friday. That's right – 19 carjackings in Chicago in just four days.
There has been a total of 1,032 carjackings citywide this year to date, according to police. And Chicago's carjacking crisis showing no sign of slowing down.
The latest incident – which was not a bump-and-run - happened at 9:48 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of North Paulina Street in East Ukrainian Village. Police said a 58-year-old man was unloading a silver Toyota Camry when a man came up with a silver handgun and demanded his car.
The victim gave it up and the assailant drove off south on Paulina Street in the car. The victim was not injured, but police haven't found the car or the crew yet.
Meanwhile, five bump-and-run incidents have been reported since Saturday morning.
Police believe the same people are behind the carjackings, and told us the same thing happened every time. A group in what is believed to be a stolen vehicle rear-ends a driver, and when that driver gets out to check on the damage and exchange information – someone jumps into their car and takes off.
• At 6:30 a.m. Saturday, a 41-year-old woman was driving a Nissan Maxima in the 4400 block of North Wolcott Avenue in Ravenswood when she was rear-ended by a white BMW. The victim and two people in the BMW got out of their cars, and one of those two people got in her car and drove off. The other suspect followed in the BMW.
• At 9:40 a.m. Monday, a 53-year-old woman was driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 hatchback in the 300 block of West 23rd Street in Chinatown, when she was rear-ended by a black vehicle. The woman and two people in the black vehicle got out of their cars, and one of those two people got in her car and drove off while the other followed in the black car.
• At 10:53 a.m. Monday, there was a similar incident in the 3400 block of North Lake Shore Drive in East Lakeview for which details were not available.
• At 11:02 a.m. Monday, a 61-year-old woman was driving a Mercedes Benz C-250 in the 600 block of West Irving Park Road, on the cusp of East Lakeview and Uptown, when she was rear-ended by a black Mercedes sport-utility vehicle. The victim and two people in the SUV all got out of their cars, and one of the people from the SUV got into the victim's car and tried to drive off in it, but was not able to do so. The suspects got back into the SUV and drove east on Irving Park Road.
• At 11:18 a.m. Monday, a 31-year-old woman was driving a Range Rover in the 100 block of North Sangamon Street in the West Loop, when she was rear-ended by a black Mercedes SUV. The victim and three people in the SUV got out of their cars, and one of the suspects got into the victim's vehicle and drove off – while another suspect followed in the Mercedes SUV.
"Trust your instincts," said Chicago Police Sgt. Peter Amelio, who leads one of the CPD's Vehicular Hijacking Task Force teams. "They're not so much concerned about who the victim is. I mean, they'll do it a 25-year-old male, or they'll do it to a 70-year-old woman. It doesn't matter."
Amelio's team of eight officers is fighting and investigating these crimes every single day. He talked about the latest tactic in our exclusive interview last week.
"They'll bump a car in traffic, make it appear like an accident - and then when you pull over, they'll carjack you," he said. "If a situation like that happens and you're bumped in traffic and you don't trust it, know where the nearest police station is and drive there."
Police also advise that you stay calm and do not resist. Property isn't worth your life.
The CPD also asks people to stay vigilant and aware of anyone suspicious hanging out.
