Police in Chicago are telling North Side residents to stay vigilant after four carjackings occurred in three days, according to Fox 32.
“The suspects did the usual: threatened the victims with a gun and drove off with their cars,” the outlet reported Monday, and listed where the alleged incidents took place:
N. Troy near Diversey in Logan Square on Dec. 4 at 7:55 a.m.
W. Belmont near Kimball in Avondale on Dec. 5, at 5 a.m.
N. Mozart near Diversey in Logan Square on Dec. 5 at 7:56 p.m.
W. Belmont near the Kennedy in Avondale on Dec. 6 at 5:10 a.m.
Anyone with information was asked to call Chicago police at 312-746-7394.
Meanwhile, carjackings in Chicago and the Cook County area were on pace to be the worst in two decades as police issued a community alert in regard to the growing crime, WGN 9 reported in October.
A database from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said there were 43.5 percent more carjackings in the county in 2021 compared to last year, with over 115 occurring in the county’s suburbs.
Roe Conn of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office explained social media played a part in the rise of carjackings.
“I’ve had guys tell me they started doing this as soon as they were tall enough to be able to reach the pedals and that’s disturbing on so many levels,” Conn told the outlet.
In its carjacking prevention tips, the Chicago Police Department said, “Certain areas make it easier for carjackers to engage with you,” and urged drivers to be aware of frequent carjacking locations.
The locations included places where a driver might slow down or stop, residential driveways, parking lots, garages, gas stations, ATMs, and intersections with stop lights.
“Always be aware of your surroundings. Make it a habit to enter your car, lock your doors immediately and drive away. Look around for suspicious persons sitting in vehicles or loitering in the area before entering your vehicle,” the department added.