Carjacked In Broad Daylight! How Can You Protect Yourself?

Last week I was carjacked, and my car, purse etc were stolen. It happened at about 7:15 am on my way to work on a busy street, in broad daylight. Fortunately, I escaped with only a few bruises caused by a stupid action on my part. A few days later the car was recovered with the wheels missing and the stereo system ripped out.

How did this happen and how can you protect yourself should you find yourself in this situation?

The thieves rear-ended my car. When I got out of the car to discuss the "accident", one of the thieves raced past me, opened the car door, jumped in and sped away. I have since learnt that this is a very common tactic called the "bump and rob". Here are several things that I did that you should never do.

1. I left my keys in the car.


2. I left my purse in the car.


3. When the thief sped off in my car, my first instinct was to run after my car. In the process I twisted my ankle and fell on the street. Lying there on the street, with cars whizzing past me, I realized that that was a very dumb move and I have the bruises to remind me.

Now what could I have done differently? After the incident I talked to the police and asked them for tips on how to handle such a situation.

They cautioned me that each situation is different and the main thing is to be very aware of your surroundings and your own personal habits that could put you in danger. Generally speaking;

1. Talking on the phone while driving puts you in danger because you are less aware of what is going on. Though, I was not talking on the phone, I was listening to the news on the radio and that too could be a distraction. Listening to loud music or simply day dreaming are also other distractions that make you less aware of your surroundings.


2. Think about your current driving habits and if you have ever been in an accident, think about your reaction and what you did then. Now think about what you could do differently in case it is a setup and not a "real accident". Thinking through potential scenarios creates the likelihood that you will remember what to do when you are in an emergency. It's the reason why we have fire drills.

Here are some specific tips:

1. If your car is rear-ended, quickly assess the situation and decide if you think it was a "real accident". If you sense that something is fishy or perhaps you had noticed that you were being followed, then it is best if you do not stop. Now many of us stop when we have an accident because that is what the law says to do. And the thieves are counting on you to do that. Call the police and tell them that you were hit but you did not feel it was safe to stop.


2. If you decide to stop, stay in your car for a minute and see what the other driver does. In my case I could clearly see 3 people in the car. In retrospect one of the red flags that something was not right, was that the driver did not come out of the car to "check the damage". When I got out of my car, it was the guy in the front passenger seat who came out and started talking to me. If again you sense something is not quite right, then drive off and call the police.


3. If you decide to get out of your car, then take your purse, lock your car and put away the keys. Such actions may cause them to realize that this will not be an easy job and they may then speed off.


4. However, and this is the most important part . . . if they demand your keys, give them up. Don't try and act tough or play hero. In such cases it is clear they want your car, so by giving up your keys you can escape unhurt which is the most important thing.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? What did you do? What do you wish you had done? What other tips would be helpful in such a situation? Click here to add your comments.