Philadelphia has seen a tripling of carjackings in just the last few weeks compared to the same time last year. Some are fearful and afraid they could be next. JoeHoldenCBS3 reports.
“If you look at the video, you can see that there are two people and they are just kind of waiting and they very calmly walk up to the car and they take it from the neighbor,” Velasco said.Departure from the norm, what concerns neighbors as these carjackings are no longer happening in the middle of the night but at any time of day.
The unnerving crime motivated Velasco to email Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke’s office.A staff member responded noting their concerns and that police would be alerted.“Essentially, they said they’re taking some action, but they can’t really tell us what the action is, because it is — a police strategy,” Velasco said.
“You get to your car door and you’re either getting in or getting out and someone comes and more than likely they will have a gun and they will point it at you,” she said, “which is my concern for my son. I don’t want a gun pointed at him.” There are also two common scenarios to keep in mind. One is called “bump and run.” That’s when someone bumps into your car and when you get out to look at the damage, another person steals it, If you feel threatened, stay inside, drive somewhere safe and call 911.