Stay frosty, everyone!
If you take a self-defense class worth anything, one of the first things you’ll be taught is to stay aware of your surroundings. Unfortunately, not everyone has learned that lesson, which is what criminals are counting on. That could help explain why a man who was livestreaming on Facebook from his car parked in Washington, D.C. was suddenly carjacked at gunpoint.
You can see in the video included with this article the man was sitting in his car talking to followers through his phone’s camera. Then he’s interrupted by two men who were reportedly pointing a gun at him. The man got out of his car, handed over his wallet and phone, then the thieves take off with the car while the phone is still livestreaming.
The Facebook livestream video provides a clear view of one of the criminals’ faces. At least he was wearing a face mask, so at least he wasn’t killing anyone. What you don’t see on the video is a third suspect who the victim said was driving a silver Honda sedan. The Metropolitan Police Department is looking for tips about this crime, so reach out if you know anything.
The truth of the matter is we’ve seen a surge in all kinds of crime this year, including car thefts. Just in D.C. car thefts are up 43 percent this year. We’ve covered cars stolen in broad daylight from busy parking lots, cars stolen from in front of homes, cars stolen from inside home garages, and cars stolen from behind locked gates at businesses. Everyone needs to be taking this threat seriously, securing their vehicles as well as possible.
There are a few factors which have been cited for the increase in car thefts. Thanks to the coronavirus shutdowns, thieves have seized on the opportunity to break into cars undisturbed since plenty of people aren’t going much of anywhere. The shutdowns have also meant parts manufacturers aren’t offering as many components. That has led to a shortage of new cars on the market as well as parts for consumers. With the restricted supply comes the demand for black market components taken from stolen vehicles.
Source: Fox5 Washington DC
