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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune
and NATALIE SHEPHERD | News Channel 8
Published: May 14, 2009
Updated: 07:53 am
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Another victim used his baby to escape carjacking
TAMPA - A woman was touching up her makeup in her car Monday when a stranger opened an unlocked door and sat down.
The man pointed a gun at her and said, "Get out."
The woman pulled out her own gun and told the man the same thing.
"I told him he needed to get out and he screamed and yelled and jumped out of the car," said the 31-year-old woman. "He didn't expect me to pull a gun on him. That was my advantage. So once he was surprised, I knew I had the upper hand."
TBO.com is not naming the woman while the suspect is at large.
The man ran down a hill and got into a getaway car parked near 3900 W. Kennedy Blvd., she said.
The incident is one of six carjackings or attempted carjackings that have occurred near Kennedy and West Shore boulevards over the past two weeks, Tampa police say.
"We've got to catch these guys before they end up hurting someone else or worse," Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. "As these suspects have progressed, they have become bolder. They started out doing these at nighttime. Now they're doing them in broad daylight."
Detectives have arrested one man they say is connected to the carjackings and are looking for two other men. The first suspect is black, in his mid- to late 20s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a thin build, short hair and crooked teeth. The man has a medium complexion and is right-handed.
The second suspect is black, in his mid-20s, shorter than 6 feet tall, with a thin build and a chipped or missing tooth. He was last seen wearing chrome rectangular prescription eyeglasses.
The first attempted carjacking was reported on April 27 at the BP gas station on 4139 W. Kennedy Blvd. The most recent incidents occurred Monday. In most cases, the suspects approached people who were alone and had just gotten out of their homes or vehicles or were about to enter them, police say.
"In all of these cases, they targeted people who were alone," McElroy said. "Criminals are opportunists. You don't want to create the opportunity to end up a victim.''
and NATALIE SHEPHERD | News Channel 8
Published: May 14, 2009
Updated: 07:53 am
Related Links
Another victim used his baby to escape carjacking
TAMPA - A woman was touching up her makeup in her car Monday when a stranger opened an unlocked door and sat down.
The man pointed a gun at her and said, "Get out."
The woman pulled out her own gun and told the man the same thing.
"I told him he needed to get out and he screamed and yelled and jumped out of the car," said the 31-year-old woman. "He didn't expect me to pull a gun on him. That was my advantage. So once he was surprised, I knew I had the upper hand."
TBO.com is not naming the woman while the suspect is at large.
The man ran down a hill and got into a getaway car parked near 3900 W. Kennedy Blvd., she said.
The incident is one of six carjackings or attempted carjackings that have occurred near Kennedy and West Shore boulevards over the past two weeks, Tampa police say.
"We've got to catch these guys before they end up hurting someone else or worse," Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. "As these suspects have progressed, they have become bolder. They started out doing these at nighttime. Now they're doing them in broad daylight."
Detectives have arrested one man they say is connected to the carjackings and are looking for two other men. The first suspect is black, in his mid- to late 20s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a thin build, short hair and crooked teeth. The man has a medium complexion and is right-handed.
The second suspect is black, in his mid-20s, shorter than 6 feet tall, with a thin build and a chipped or missing tooth. He was last seen wearing chrome rectangular prescription eyeglasses.
The first attempted carjacking was reported on April 27 at the BP gas station on 4139 W. Kennedy Blvd. The most recent incidents occurred Monday. In most cases, the suspects approached people who were alone and had just gotten out of their homes or vehicles or were about to enter them, police say.
"In all of these cases, they targeted people who were alone," McElroy said. "Criminals are opportunists. You don't want to create the opportunity to end up a victim.''
