Drivers just can’t catch a break in West Town, where hijackings are up 113% compared to last year.
In the latest case, two armed carjackers beat a 27-year-old woman with a handgun and stole her rental car around 12:37 a.m. Monday in the 500 block of North Armour.
The woman was sitting in her parked car when the hijackers walked up, and one of them entered her rear driver’s side door, Officer Steve Rusanov said. He demanded control of the 2021 Toyota Camry and began hitting her in the head with his pistol, according to Rusanov. When she got out of the car, the second offender climbed into the driver’s seat and sped west on Grand Avenue, Rusanov said. Police did not release descriptions of the suspects.
Fire department personnel transported the woman to Stroger Hospital in good condition.
Among other recent carjackings in the area:
- On Saturday, a 41-year-old man was loading things into his 2019 Dodge Durango when a hijacker pointed a gun to his face and demanded control of the vehicle on the 1500 block of West Superior around 11:41 a.m. The victim complied, and the carjacker drove away with his truck.
- Around 11:34 a.m. Saturday, a 34-year-old woman was sitting in her car on the 1600 block of West Pierce in Wicker Park when two men walked up and ordered her to open the door while pointing a gun in her direction, police said. The woman had another idea. She immediately called 911, which brought a quick end to the carjacking effort.
West Town community area logged 49 carjackings during the first six months of the year, up from 23 during the same period last year, and 14 during the first six months of 2019, according to CPD records.