(FeaturedNews.com) – Law enforcement agencies near Seattle are alerting the public about a series of carjackings that share a common modus operandi.
The Renton Police, situated to the south of Seattle, informed locals about a rising trend wherein culprits pretend to have accidents, only to carjack the innocent party involved.
“These types of incidents aren’t new. Roughly once a year or two, we notice such deceptive tactics where criminals trick drivers into stopping, only to rob them, often at gunpoint,” said Detective Robert Onishi of Renton Police during an interview with NBC K5.
A notable episode last week involved a motorist exiting a Walmart when his car was hit from behind. Upon trying to assess the situation involving two young passengers, he was confronted by three people from the other car. Subsequently, one of these individuals threatened the young passengers with a firearm while another directed the driver to leave his car at gunpoint. The driver and passengers managed to leave safely while the criminals drove away.
Detective Onishi emphasized safety after collisions, “Though it’s a legal requirement to share details with the other driver after an accident, it doesn’t mean you have to do it where you don’t feel safe. If things seem off, such as the location being dimly lit or appearing suspicious, it’s advisable to relocate to a safer, well-lit place, possibly near a police station, and notify 911 about the situation.”
Seattle reported two analogous incidents where victims were carjacked at gunpoint after their cars were struck from behind. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in these cases.
Another related occurrence in August was reported in Maple Valley, Washington, south of Renton. Here, a lady’s car was hit, after which she was ambushed by five individuals and her vehicle was stolen. This episode took a tragic turn when the culprits, during a police chase, met with an accident, killing two passengers on impact with a tree.
The Seattle Police Department shared that while the commonalities in these cases are evident, it’s still uncertain if they’re interconnected. “Though we’ve noted similarities in these carjacking events, we’re still exploring if they’re linked,” a spokesperson for the Seattle Police told Fox News Digital. “Our aim is to not just gather more information for the investigation but also raise awareness about such crimes to potentially prevent them.”
Fox 13 described the vehicle used by the culprits in the Seattle incidents as a dark-colored sedan.
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