All articles tagged with #carjackings
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser praised the federal surge for reducing gun crimes, homicides, and carjackings, which has angered some residents but pleased President Trump.
Carjackings in Washington, D.C., continue at a record-setting pace in 2024, with 56 reported so far this year, including the deadly attack on former Trump official Mike Gill. The surge follows a doubling of carjackings in 2023, with high-profile victims including U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates. Mayor Muriel Bowser has attributed the rise to a social media challenge and offered free steering wheel locks to prevent crimes. The majority of carjacking arrests involve juveniles, and the city also saw a surge in homicides in 2023.
Delivery drivers for companies like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the US Postal Service are facing an increase in robberies and carjackings during the holiday season. Postal workers have reported a 231% increase in assaults over the past three years, with armed robberies of letter carriers rising from 36 to 154 reported incidents. Thieves are targeting postal workers for their "arrow keys," which can open most postal boxes and provide access to valuable items like financial documents and prescriptions. The US Postal Inspection Service has implemented initiatives to enhance security, including installing additional security features on mail collection boxes and making arrests for robberies and mail theft. Recent incidents include an Amazon driver being held up by carjackers in Connecticut and a FedEx driver being shot by a carjacker in Colorado. In response to the rise in postal crime, Senators Dick Durbin and Susan Collins have introduced the Postal Police Reform Act to allow Postal Police Officers to operate offsite and carry out arrests.
Delivery drivers for companies like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service are facing an increase in robberies and carjackings during the holiday season. Postal workers have reported a 231% increase in assaults over the past three years, with armed robberies of letter carriers rising from 36 incidents in 2018 to 154 incidents in 2021. Thieves are targeting mail carriers for their "arrow keys," which can open most postal boxes and provide access to valuable items like financial documents and prescriptions. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has implemented initiatives to combat these crimes, including the installation of additional security features on mail collection boxes and electronic locks. Recent incidents include an Amazon driver being held up at gunpoint in Connecticut and a FedEx driver being shot during a carjacking in Colorado. In response to the rise in postal crime, Senators Durbin and Collins have introduced the Postal Police Reform Act, which aims to expand the authority of Postal Police Officers to operate offsite and carry out arrests.
The surge in carjackings in Washington D.C. has prompted concerns among residents and raised questions about the measures taken by city and police leaders to address the issue. With over 880 carjackings reported this year, more than double the cases from last year, residents are feeling unsafe and taking extra precautions. The Carjacking Task Force, consisting of 14 detectives, is primarily a reactive unit, responding to cases after the fact. The involvement of juvenile offenders poses a challenge, as judges are not allowed to hold them due to family court restrictions. An emergency public safety bill, allowing judges to hold juvenile suspects until trial, has been extended temporarily, and a permanent provision is being considered. The community is urged to play a role in protecting each other, as the city and council work towards addressing youth crimes.
A suspect has been arrested by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina following a shooting and several carjackings. The investigation led deputies to 56-year-old Alfredo Pontani, who was peacefully taken into custody. The condition of the gunshot victim is currently unknown. Pontani now faces multiple charges and has been transported to the Greenville County Detention Center.
Car thefts in the US saw a 10.9% increase in 2022, with nearly a million cars stolen, according to the FBI. Reports have identified popular vehicle models targeted by thieves, including the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Dodge Charger HEMI, Infiniti Q50 4dr, Dodge Challenger, and Land Rover Range Rover 4dr 4WD. The National Insurance Crime Bureau highlighted the full-sized Chevrolet Pickup, full-sized Ford Pickup, and Honda Civic as the top three models favored by thieves. Incidents of carjackings also rose by 8.1% in 2022, with transportation hubs and outdoor public locations being the most common locations for such crimes.
At least six people were robbed or carjacked within a two-hour span on Chicago's North and West sides. The incidents involved suspects approaching victims, stealing personal belongings, and in some cases, physically assaulting them. The police have not confirmed if these robberies are connected and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Chicago police are investigating two separate carjackings that occurred in the Lakeview neighborhood. In the first incident, two male suspects approached an 18-year-old victim, pointed a gun at him, and demanded the keys to his vehicle before fleeing in a black Jeep along with the victim's black Honda Civic. In the second carjacking, three male suspects approached two victims, pointed a gun at them, and demanded the keys to their car before fleeing in a red Dodge Charger with a black sedan trailing behind. No injuries were reported, and no one has been arrested.
A man carried out a "crime spree" of stabbings and vehicle collisions in San Jose and Milpitas, California, killing three people and injuring others. The suspect, Kevin Parkourana, was taken into custody on multiple homicide and carjacking charges. Police believe the attacks were intentional and random, with no connections between the victims and the attacker. Parkourana had felony and misdemeanor convictions and was on probation. The investigation is ongoing.