Two men tried to kidnap a 24-year-old woman during a carjacking in River North on Sunday evening, police said. The woman managed to jump out of the car before the hijackers drove away with her.
The woman and a 25-year-old man were sitting in their car on the 200 block of West Illinois when the man stepped out of the vehicle around 9:22 p.m., police said. As he did, two carjackers got into the car and tried to drive away with the female passenger.
Police said the carjackers hit the man in his face when he tried to help the woman. She was able to fight the men off and get out of the white 2020 Toyota Camry before they drove off, police said. Initial reports from the scene indicated that the victims were making package deliveries at the time of the crime, but that has not been confirmed.
The victims said the hijackers are two Black males who wore blue New York Yankees baseball hats. One suspect is heavyset and the other has an average build, they reported.
Earlier Sunday, a Lyft driver was carjacked by a group of men as he waited for a passenger in the Loop.
The 35-year-old victim was waiting in his car on the 300 block of South Dearborn when three young males walked up to the car around 4:35 a.m., CPD spokesperson Sally Bown said. One of the offenders opened the driver’s door, took the keys from the ignition, and ordered the driver out of the car, according to Bown. The driver complied.
At that point, all three of the teens reportedly got into the man’s black 2015 Chevy Cruze and drove away. The victim said the carjackers are three Black males who are about 16-years-old, Each of them wore masks.
Area Three detectives are investigating both hijackings.