Carjacking - The Most Violent Form of Theft
Carjacking is described as the forceful theft of a vehicle while still occupied.
Whereas a normal car theft can at most be described as an expensive form of property theft, carjacking is a dangerous and violent crime, which puts individuals in direct harm.
Because of this, the Federal Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 (FACTA) makes carjacking a federal offense, punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The 1994 Crime Bill increases the punishment for carjackers, calling for the death penalty whenever an innocent victim is killed.
Most carjackers use a weapon in order to secure the vehicle they are stealing.
Based on a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, between the years of 1993 and 2002, 74% of all carjackings involved the use of a weapon by the criminal.
Firearms were used in 45% of all cases; knives in 11%, and 18% involved the use of 'other weapons'.
According to the same survey, 34,000 attempted or successful carjacking cases are reported annually in the United States.
Of these, about 45% were completed crimes.
Certain times seem to be more active periods for carjacking.
68% of cases occur at night, and most of these occur between the hours of 8 and 11 p.
m.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday account for over half of all cases.
The month of December claims the most forceful theft of vehicle incidents; over one quarter of all carjackings occur in December.
There are, however, several things you can do to help ensure that your chances of becoming a victim of car theft are reduced as much as possible.
Whenever possible, drive with someone else in the car.
Of the 38,000 cases annually, only about 4,000 of them occurred with a passenger or passengers in the vehicle.
Keep your doors locked and windows up whenever possible, especially in highly dense urban areas.
Most of these cases occur in major metropolitan areas.
One study reports that 15 metropolitan areas account for 90% of carjacking cases.
Locked doors and closed windows present more obstacles to any would-be carjackers.
If someone approaches your vehicle asking for help, remain cautious and do not roll down your window more than a couple inches.
Be aware of potential "bump and rob" schemes.
Most carjacking incidents are perpetrated by a group of people, rather than one individual.
These groups use many strategies and tactics to distract you from the crime until it is too late.
One of the most common schemes involves one individual bumping your vehicle from the rear in traffic.
When you exit your vehicle to inspect the damage or to talk to the other driver, a second accomplice enters your vehicle and takes it.
Always remember that if you are approached by an armed carjacker, hand over your keys and contact the police immediately.
There is no reason to put yourself in danger over an automobile.
Whereas a normal car theft can at most be described as an expensive form of property theft, carjacking is a dangerous and violent crime, which puts individuals in direct harm.
Because of this, the Federal Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 (FACTA) makes carjacking a federal offense, punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The 1994 Crime Bill increases the punishment for carjackers, calling for the death penalty whenever an innocent victim is killed.
Most carjackers use a weapon in order to secure the vehicle they are stealing.
Based on a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, between the years of 1993 and 2002, 74% of all carjackings involved the use of a weapon by the criminal.
Firearms were used in 45% of all cases; knives in 11%, and 18% involved the use of 'other weapons'.
According to the same survey, 34,000 attempted or successful carjacking cases are reported annually in the United States.
Of these, about 45% were completed crimes.
Certain times seem to be more active periods for carjacking.
68% of cases occur at night, and most of these occur between the hours of 8 and 11 p.
m.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday account for over half of all cases.
The month of December claims the most forceful theft of vehicle incidents; over one quarter of all carjackings occur in December.
There are, however, several things you can do to help ensure that your chances of becoming a victim of car theft are reduced as much as possible.
Whenever possible, drive with someone else in the car.
Of the 38,000 cases annually, only about 4,000 of them occurred with a passenger or passengers in the vehicle.
Keep your doors locked and windows up whenever possible, especially in highly dense urban areas.
Most of these cases occur in major metropolitan areas.
One study reports that 15 metropolitan areas account for 90% of carjacking cases.
Locked doors and closed windows present more obstacles to any would-be carjackers.
If someone approaches your vehicle asking for help, remain cautious and do not roll down your window more than a couple inches.
Be aware of potential "bump and rob" schemes.
Most carjacking incidents are perpetrated by a group of people, rather than one individual.
These groups use many strategies and tactics to distract you from the crime until it is too late.
One of the most common schemes involves one individual bumping your vehicle from the rear in traffic.
When you exit your vehicle to inspect the damage or to talk to the other driver, a second accomplice enters your vehicle and takes it.
Always remember that if you are approached by an armed carjacker, hand over your keys and contact the police immediately.
There is no reason to put yourself in danger over an automobile.
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