A 55-year-old woman was carjacked Tuesday afternoon when she stepped out of her SUV on the Magnificent Mile, police said. She told officers that a man jumped into her white Jeep Cherokee as she exited the SUV on the 600 block of North Michigan around 2:27 p.m., CPD spokesperson Kellie Bartoli said.
The woman, who had the Jeep’s keys in her hand, confronted the man. But he pushed the woman out of the way and drove off with the SUV, which was running, according to Bartoli. The victim was not injured.
Bartoli said no suspect description is available.
Hijackers enjoy working near the Ontario Street corridor, which provides quick access to the expressways. Carjackers have hijacked vehicles at Ontario and Clark twice since late September.
In August, an Uber driver was carjacked at gunpoint on the corner of Ontario and Michigan, roughly the same location as Tuesday’s hijacking.
Chicago police recorded 1,234 carjackings citywide through September 28, according to public records. That’s up 38% from 887 during the same period last year.
For September, the city logged 168 carjackings through last Wednesday, up 57% from 107 during the same period last year. September’s rate is 147% higher than the same month in 2019 and up 223% compared to September 2018, records show.
Last week, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown told a group of business leaders and politicians that carjackings reports are down.
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