Yahoo Autos Bump Carjackings Are In The News Again
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We’ve warned before about bump or bump-and-run carjackings, a method which some criminals are using to steal victims’ cars by force. It seems to be a growing problem with some teenagers recently using it on innocent motorists in the Seattle area.
Even in paradise you have to watch out for carjackers.
If you don’t know or can’t remember, a bump carjacking is a simple thing and yet surprisingly effective. Thieves will intentionally run into your vehicle, usually just barely bumping it, forcing you to pull over. When you do, they take your car, often at gunpoint.
According to a Fox 13 Seattle report, authorities say teenagers stole vehicles from three people in just two days using the bump carjacking method. All of the victims were traveling on Interstate 5 when the teens hit their car and they innocently pulled over.
The suspects apparently like doing this in the early morning hours. Perhaps they like that there aren’t as many witnesses around, something a lot of criminals like to avoid.
Some of the teens were wearing masks. A total of six participated in the thefts, so they also had numbers on their side. All this concerns Washington State Patrol as they seek to stop the carjackers.
At least one suspect was arrested after a victim used a GPS tracker in his vehicle to lead police to that person. That right there shows these teenagers are rookies and probably haven’t been coached by someone in a big time theft ring.
Obviously, if you get hit by another vehicle, you might want to stay in yours and observe who gets out of the other one. If they’re wearing masks, holding guns, etc. that’s your cue to speed out of there. It’s a sad reality that everyone has to watch out for yet another safety concern.
Image via Fox 13 Seattle/YouTube
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