Woman, daughter carjacked near Arundel Mills as car thefts involving minors increase

BALTIMORE - A 63-year-old woman and her daughter were carjacked by a minor Tuesday afternoon at a McDonald's near Arundel Mills Mall, according to police.

Police said the woman was standing in line around 2 p.m. at the fast food restaurant when a boy knocked her car keys out of her hand, found her 2015 Jeep Cherokee and got inside.

Her 29-year-old daughter was in the car when the minor implied he had a handgun and ordered her to get out, police said.

The woman told officers he couldn't have been older than 13 years old.

"He then picked up her car keys, went outside, found her vehicle...got inside and found another person seated within the vehicle, Anne Arundel County Police spokesperson Mark Limansky said. "This placed her in fear, she immediately got out of the car and he drove off. But in the process, picked up two other young men – young teenagers and fled the area."

There's been an alarming rise in carjackings across the region.

According to the last report by juvenile services, carjackings increased by 85.4% from 2020 to 2023, and the suspects are often younger than 15.

"It always seems to be kids," said Philip, an Anne Arundel County resident. "I don't really know what we can do about that, maybe more truancy officers or something."

Police are encouraging people to be vigilant while out and about. 

Anne Arundel County detectives are reviewing surveillance footage to track down the suspects and, hopefully, recover the vehicle.

"They tend to be abandoned and then picked up by a patrol officer later on," Limansky said. "Sometimes it can take a few days, but often they're recovered."

Fortunately, the woman and her daughter were not harmed.

Anyone who may have seen anything or has any information about this incident is asked to call Anne Arundel County Police.