An armed carjacker introduced a bold new strategy on Saturday evening: Hold a busy restaurant’s valet worker at gunpoint and help yourself to the keys of cars they have parked for customers.
Earlier, another armed man opted for the well-worn route of hijacking a rideshare driver in Wicker Park.
In that case, a 46-year-old rideshare driver was parked and waiting for his passenger on the 1800 block of West Ellen when a man entered his car around 11:22 p.m., a CPD spokesperson said.
The offender pointed a gun at the driver and ordered him to get out. He did, and the hijacker drove away with his white Toyota Camry, the spokesperson said.
Officers at the scene said the hijacker is a Black male who stands about 5’7″ tall. He was last seen leaving with the victim’s car, which bears a Minnesota plate beginning with CEH.
Then there’s the wild one from the West Loop.
A male valet attendant was at his post outside a restaurant on the 1200 block of West Hubbard around 9:09 p.m. when a gunman approached, according to the CPD representative.
The offender reportedly went into the valet key box and helped himself to vehicle keys, including a set that controlled a white 2017 Mercedes Benz coupe parked nearby.
He took off in the Mercedes accompanied by a red Jeep Liberty driven by an apparent accomplice. The hijackers were described as two Black men wearing black hoodies.
A red Jeep Liberty was also used by two men who beat a woman during a carjacking in North Center around 7:37 p.m. Saturday, according to CPD reports, but it is not known if the incidents are related.