Be aware. Be safe. Carjacking can happen in instant


James Hamm


The Parkway Retirement


Community Independent Living Suites with Services


Meals,


housekeeping, recreation, transportation included


Spacious suites and balconies


Indoor parking


In-suite washer and dryer


Call today for a tour at 204-487-8500


85 Paget Street (off Sterling Lyon Parkway)


theparkway.ca “Sweet, Suite Life” 12 whatsupwinnipeg.ca June 2020


59-year-old man, unloading items from his vehicle outside a local hospital, has his car stolen. His 88-year old father is still sitting in the passenger seat. The older male was able to later escape the vehicle at a stoplight, and soon after the vehicle is located follow- ing a brief police pursuit. A 25-year-old is subsequently arrested for the crime. Police responded to a report of a 68-year-old man lying in a back lane. Investigation reveals the man had been run over by his own vehicle, after hav- ing it carjacked. He was getting into his vehicle when a man and a woman hit him on the head before taking the vehi- cle. The vehicle was soon recovered and a 16-year-old female associated with the incident was arrested and charged. A woman was standing by her vehicle at a gas sta-


A


tion one evening, when she was confronted by an- other woman with a knife. The thief took the car and a brief police pursuit began. It ended with a crash and a 31-year-old woman being arrested. While investigating another attempted vehicle theft, officers came upon a man who had been stabbed by two men attempting to steal his car. The thieves were unsuccessful in the attempt as neither could drive a standard transmission. Scary events to be certain but I’m happy to share that nearly all the suspects have been arrested and charged.


Carjacking – robbing someone of their vehicle – is not just a plot twist we see in action movies. It can and does happen here in Winnipeg. These incidents I’ve highlighted all happened earlier this spring. They were not connected and the timing was most unusual as they were clustered together. With the warmer weather upon us, and more people


are out and about, the crime prevention team reminds the public to always be aware of their surroundings. This includes the time we spend in our vehicles.


Carjacking is a crime of opportunity - a thief will


search for the most vulnerable prey and use force to steal their vehicle. Criminals do not target one specific demographic group. Most carjackers are armed when they commit these crimes, and that makes it particularly dangerous. Be Aware


Carjacking can happen anywhere,


but these are the most likely locations • Residential driveways. • High crime areas. • Lesser-travelled roads, including those in rural areas. • Intersections that require you to


stop.


Winnipeg Police Services Crime


Prevention Column


• Isolated areas in parking lots. • Residential driveways and gates. • Traffic jams or congested areas. Take Action and lessen the risks • Stay alert at all times and be aware of your surroundings. • Avoid driving alone, especially at


night. • Drive in well-lit areas and on main roads at night. • Keep all doors locked and windows up when driv-


ing.


• Keep valuables out of site. • When making deliveries, shut the car off and lock the doors. Don’t get out of your vehicle unless you have to. • When stopped at a traffic light, leave enough


space between vehicles to allow you to maneuver around vehicles. • If you are meeting someone new through a so-


cial networking, dating or a buy-and-sell site, make a point of meeting them in a public place where other people are around. You leave yourself and your prop- erty at risk, meeting someone new in your vehicle. If it happens to you?


If you are threatened by a carjacker no matter the weapon, don’t put yourself in danger. Your life


is


worth more than a vehicle. Get away as fast as you can and call 911. Try and remember what the carjacker looked like. We all have a role to play in crime prevention.


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