Thwarting Carjackers

An 84 year-old Tacoma, WA man recently put up a good fight against a couple of would-be carjackers. He received a black eye for his trouble but got to keep his car and gave the pair of miscreants more than a bruise or two for their trouble. What is carjacking and how can you help prevent it from happening to you?

Carjacking - Fast Facts

According to the US Department of Justice, carjacking is defined as an attempted or completed robbery of a motor vehicle by someone who is a stranger to the victim. This is different from auto theft because the victim is present at the time of the crime and is usually threatened by the offender as well. Not surprisingly, carjacking victimization rates are highest in urban areas, followed by suburban areas and then rural areas bringing up the rear. More than ninety percent of carjackings occur in cities or their suburbs. A weapon is used in nearly 3 out of 4 carjackings according to reports, with firearms being used in 45 percent of those, knives being used in 11 percent and other weapons being used in nearly twenty percent.

Carjacking - Your Typical Scenario

It's late at night, you see a red light up ahead and you pull to a stop as you yawn sleepily, anxious to get home. Staring straight ahead as you are and thinking of your bed, you are startled by a loud, urgent rap against the driver side window. You turn and see the face of an angry man who has a weapon in his hand and he is pressing it against the glass and demanding angrily that you get out of the car. What do you do?

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim

People who have been carjacked almost always report that "it happened so fast". One moment you are minding your own business and the next, you are being hauled out of your car or away from it, and someone else is jumping in and taking off, leaving you in the dust. What could you have done differently? How could you have stopped them? Should you have even tried?

The best way to avoid being victimized by carjackers is by being aware of your surroundings, especially when your vehicle is coming to a stop in an area where you are alone or mostly so. Look to the sidewalks on both sides of your car, if you see any suspicious looking characters, make sure your doors are locked and keep one eye on them, one eye on the traffic around you. If anyone approaches your car, evaluate the traffic situation and leave immediately if at all safe or possible. If, however a carjacker does catch you unawares, there are still some options that you may have:

1. Take your time: The moment someone tries to carjack you, take a moment to analyze the situation, don't just react quickly and foolishly to whatever demands are being made, no matter what the threat. If the criminal wanted to shoot you and take your car, they probably would have just done so. Usually carjackers are trying to avoid violence and just want the vehicle, so feel free after your initial surprise to take a few seconds to take stock of the situation before reacting.
2. Either move, or move: Based on your analysis of the situation, if you are still in the car with the windows rolled up, you usually have one of two options, to drive quickly away from the criminal, or to obey their command and let them complete the carjacking. If they are holding a gun on you, it is not advisable to try to drive away. If they have a knife or other weapon that is not capable of harming you immediately, take very careful stock of the traffic situation directly in front of you, including cross traffic and if it is safe, drive away as quickly as possible. If you do not see an opportunity (due to cross traffic, for example) to get away quickly, then you are best served just obeying thief's commands.
3. Don't throw the baby out with the car: It is commonly reported (and unfortunate for the carjacker if they are caught) that unintentional kidnappings occur simultaneously with a carjacking. This is because people who are being robbed sometimes have a tendency to forget for a moment that they have a sleeping child in the backseat. If the robber doesn't notice, he may drive away with your child. If you have a child with you, do not give the thief the keys to the car until you have opened the rear door and retrieved the child safely.
4. Take note as they are driving away: Who is the perpetrator of this crime? Are they as tall as you? Are they taller? Slightly pudgy? Thin and wiry? What is he or she wearing? What color is it? Which way do they drive off? Did you see which way they turned? All of these questions will be asked of you when you file your police report.