At least three ride-hail service drivers have been carjacked recently in the Wicker Park area by people who ordered rides through the Uber and Lyft apps, according to a new community alert from Chicago police.
CWB has reported the increased targeting of ride-hail drivers by carjackers who order rides on stolen phones since November. But the companies won’t comment about what steps their drivers can take to ensure that the people who get into their cars are the actual account holders.
Police said the Wicker Park pattern involves two carjackers who order rides via the company apps. One carjacker gets into the back seat, and the other gets into the front seat. Then, the back seat passenger pulls a gun, and both offenders rob the driver of their valuables before ordering them out of the car and driving away.
The first incident was reported shortly after midnight on December 28. A ride-hail driver told police two carjackers took his black Infiniti QX60 in the 1900 block of West Evergreen. The victim thought another car, possibly a black four-door sedan, was also involved in the crime, according to a CPD report.
A couple of hours later, around 1:50 a.m., an Uber driver was robbed of his black Kia Optima in the 2000 block of West St. Paul. Once again, the driver said he thought the carjackers might have gotten out of a dark Honda or Toyota before getting into his car.
Then, around 7 p.m. on January 9, a ride service driver was carjacked of his white Lexus RS350 in the 1400 block of North Maplewood. The offenders also got away with the man’s wallet and phone, which were in the vehicle.
According to the CPD alert, both carjackers are male, Black, and 18- to 30-years-old. One stands 5’4” to 5’6” and weighs 130 to 150 pounds. The other is about 5’7” to 6-feet tall and weighs 140 to 160 pounds, they said.
Anyone with information about the crimes can contact Area Three detectives at 312-746-7394 regarding pattern #P21-5-001.
