VIDEO: Man Arrested In Brazen Carjacking At Laurel Gas Station
LAUREL, Md. (WJZ) -- It certainly started off innocently enough.
Late Monday night, high-definition security cameras were rolling as a woman got out of her car at the BP Gas station in Laurel, located in the 3300 block of Laurel Fort Meade Road. As she walked away from her car to look at another vehicle that was reportedly on fire, a man identified as 38-year-old Mehran Mianrood is seen initially walking past the car and appears to be heading into the store -- but he never goes in.
Seconds later, the woman starts to chase after the man after he carjacks her.
"It seems like the suspect was an opportunist," said Anne Arundel County Police spokesperson Lt. Ryan Frashure.
Officers who were already on scene investigating the car fire began their pursuit, which ended as quickly as it started. The chase concluded in neighboring Prince George's County.
Authorities say Mianrood rammed the stolen car into the officer's car twice before eventually breaking down both cars.
Police say this is characteristic of Mianrood.
"Once he was placed under arrest, he was found to have a warrant through Baltimore City where he was found in a stolen vehicle which occurred in New York City," Frashure said.
People at the gas station who saw the video for the first time were shocked by the brazen carjacking.
"It's terrible you can't leave your car unattended," Shon Williams said.
"It just took a few seconds. That guy just stepped in the car," Zubair Raham said.
Raham, the manager of the BP who provided WJZ with the footage, says he shared the video both as a warning to criminals and a reminder to people everywhere to not let your guard down.
"Everyone needs to be careful, you know?" Raham said.
Police are still investigating what Mianrood was doing in the area. They say he also faces several charges.
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