CHICAGO — Police are investigating a carjacking that unfolded at a major intersection in Edgewater last night.
Chicago police responded to Hollywood and Sheridan around 12:20 a.m. after a passer-by called 911 to report a hijacking in progress with the victim standing outside his car with his hands in the air.
Officers found the victim, a 16-year-old boy, who told them that a white sedan blocked his path and a man stepped out of the sedan with a handgun, a CPD spokesperson said. The gunman robbed the boy of his phone and wallet, then drove away with his black 2019 Infiniti QX50.
Carjacking reports citywide are down 30% compared to last year. But the number of cases seen so far this year, 524 as of last Saturday, is more than double the number at this point in 2019.
Police received 50 carjacking reports during the first 17 days of this month, down from 84 during the same period last year.
Vehicular hijacking cases began to fade last summer as the “Kia Boy” phenomenon arrived in Chicago.
Using a simple technique shared widely on social media, thieves can steal many Kia and Hyundai models with little more than a USB plug.
Auto theft reports skyrocketed immediately, and there are no signs that the problem will end soon. Car theft reports are up 133% this year compared to the same time last year and up 235% compared to 2019, according to CPD’s latest CompStat data.