EUCLID, Ohio — The Euclid Police Department is asking residents to remain vigilant and is warning them about a string of carjackings that have plagued the city for the past nine months.
According to the department, there have been 16 carjackings in the city that have occurred between May 5, 2020 and Feb. 9, 2021.
On Monday, the department reported there had been 16 carjackings up to that date. On Tuesday, two more attempted carjackings were reported.
In some of the more recent incidents, police say that a gray sedan parked nearby or blocked the victim’s vehicle and then two or three people got out of the vehicle with guns drawn and approached the victim.
Authorities say that most of the people who have been targeted were either sitting in their vehicles or getting out of them. They also commonly happen where people live or work. In more than a dozen of the incidents, police say that the victim of the carjacking was alone at the time of the robbery.
It appears that the suspects “seem to be driving around looking for individuals to carjack,” police said.
According to police, more than 50% of the carjackings happened while the victim was sitting in their driveway. More than 35% of the incidents happened in the parking lots of apartment buildings. Fewer than 10% of the cases happened at a gas station.
A breakdown of the incidents shows that the highest number of carjackings happen in the evening between 7 and 11 p.m., with the highest number of them having occurred on Euclid Avenue, according to data released by the department.
Police say that the majority of victims are in their 20s, with the oldest in their 60s.
Here are some tips from police on how to protect yourself from a carjacking:
- Use situational awareness as the crime prevention measure. Is someone strange walking down your street when you pull into your driveway? Is there an unknown car following you home or stopped outside your home?
- If you feel a vehicle with more than one person inside is following you or tries to block your vehicle - do not get out of your car, drive someplace safe and call Euclid Police at 216-731-1234. If it is an emergency, call 911.
“Be aware of your surroundings when you are arriving home and limit the amount of time you sit in a car to view your cell phone, especially at night!” police said.
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