Grandmother Speaks After Video Shows Her Being Carjacked At Knifepoint In Chicago Lawn
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chilling video shows a grandmother getting cornered and carjacked in broad daylight in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.
If it feels like such things are happening a lot lately, it's because they are. CBS 2's Charlie De Mar on Monday night had the woman's story, and an analysis of the carjacking epidemic.
At 3:30 p.m. Monday, the woman was spotted, alone, about to grab groceries from the trunk of her car in the 7100 block of South Spaulding Avenue.
"I was very scared," said the grandmother, whom we'll call Maria.
On surveillance video, you can see two people come up and demand her keys
"The other guy said, 'Give me the key!'" Maria said.
At first, the 68-year refused.
"It's more important, my life, than the car," Maria said. "My heart was going fast."
One of the men had a knife. The other snatched the keys. Maria got away.
"I came running," she said.
Meanwhile, the assailants got into Maria's car and took off south on Spaulding Avenue.
Carjackings have more than doubled across the city in 2020 compared to 2019.
In Chicago Lawn, carjackings spiked from eight to 18.
East and West Garfield Park saw highest number of carjackings year over year - 117 in 2020 compared to 53 in 2019.
On Monday night, the carjackings continued. There was another one in the 4000 block of West Lawrence Avenue in Albany Park.
Police say a man showed a gun and stole a Hyundai from a man in a parking lot.
"I want to say to other people, be careful," Maria said.
As Maria tries to warn others, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said kids are responsible for the spike in carjackings. He is calling for more accountability.
Too often, I see juvenile offenders charged with serious crimes like carjackings. They need to be held accountable, but we should all be connecting with our young people to prevent this from happening in the first place. We have to inspire them to find their purpose in the world.
— Chicago Police Superintendent David O. Brown (@ChiefDavidBrown) January 13, 2021
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Carjackings By Neighborhood, 2020 v. 2019
Place cursor over each neighborhood or enter the neighborhood name in the search bar to compare.
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