Video Captures Violent Carjacking Of Woman In West Lawn
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Frightening video shows the moment a Chicago woman was attacked and thrown to the ground by carjackers on the Southwest Side this week.
As CBS 2's Steven Graves reported Wednesday, the woman was at the home of a friend in West Lawn when the carjackers preyed on her as she sat in her sport-utility vehicle.
Officers at the Chicago Lawn (8th) District said the woman is not the only recent victim.
The video captured echoes of shrill, desperate screams from a mother - all while a carjacker threw her to the ground around 9 p.m. Monday.
She fell to her knees on the sidewalk in the 6700 block of South Kostner Avenue, and then ran to her friend's house pleading for help.
SOUND ON???? Shrill screams from a woman carjacked right outside of her friend's home in West Lawn.
— Steven Graves (@StevenGravesTV) March 3, 2021
This was just 1 of 3 carjackings in the area on Monday. Hear from the man who helped this victim on @cbschicago at 5. pic.twitter.com/37XYRuWu7S
"She was exhausted, scared," said James Stryczek. "Her arm was hurting, her shoulders."
Stryczek said the woman is his wife's friend. She was visiting that night with her kids.
"I was running with my sandals," Stryczek said.
He ran out the house to help, but it was too late.
"I feel bad," Stryczek said. "There's not much I could have done."
The carjackers not only got away with the woman's vehicle and valuables, but hit another car.
Another camera angle shows how the thieves quickly attacked.
Their car sped down the street. It blocked the woman in as she sat with brake lights on, when the suspects jumped out.
Thankfully, her children were not inside.
"She's a very nice lady - doesn't bother anybody," Stryczek said.
Chicago Police say this carjacking was one of three in the Chicago Lawn District on Monday. Two others happened in the 6600 block of South Albany Avenue and the 4100 block of South Pulaski Road.
All three involved teenage suspects.
Carjackings city wide stood at 352 this year as of Wednesday - about 25 more since last week.
Officers said the cold weather in February slowed down the crimes - but neighbors hope a warm-up doesn't mean a spike.
"I'm scared now," Stryczek said. "If it happened here, it could happen anywhere else. Maybe they'll come back later and do it again, I don't know."
And that is whom police are trying to stop - repeat offenders.
As of last Thursday, police have made 62 arrests.
Officers are still looking for the teens in these latest cases.
Anyone with information on the Monday carjackings in the Chicago Lawn District is asked to call Area One detectives at (312) 747-8382.