Some people will stop at nothing to get away with a crime, but this method is particularly disturbing. A 33-year-old North Carolina woman was driving home from work when she spotted what appeared to be a small child, dressed in black pants and a red shirt, sitting in the middle of the road. When she stopped, she was confronted by two men wearing hoodies who ended up trying to steal her car.
Carteret County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for an attempted car-jacking that occurred at the intersection of West Southwinds Drive and Pagoda Court in the early morning hours of Sunday.
Carteret County deputies responded to the Paradise East subdivision at 1:30am after a 33-year-old woman who was driving home from work approached what appeared to be a person sitting in the middle of the roadway. As she got closer to the person, which turned out to be a dummy, two young white males wearing dark hoodies pulled on the door handles of her locked vehicle. The victim immediately drove away which was the “absolutely the right thing to do” said Jason Wank. Deputies searched the area but were unable to locate any suspects and the dummy was seized.
This incident should serve as a reminder that while operating your vehicle it’s a good idea to keep your doors locked and remain inside when approaching anything suspicious.
The dummy was constructed of a fake plastic head and kids clothing including a red Field & Stream shirt. Anyone who has information about this dummy or the people responsible for making it are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office, Derek Moore, at 728-8400 ext. 8849 or Crime-Stoppers at 726-INFO (4636).
According to The Conservative Tribune:
Law enforcement officials were unable to find the attempted carjacking suspects, but they did locate the dummy, which had been constructed using a fake plastic head and children’s clothing.
They have since used this woman’s frightening experience as a lesson for other motorists.
“This incident should serve as a reminder that while operating your vehicle it’s a good idea to keep your doors locked and remain inside when approaching anything suspicious,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
Most of us are likely compassionate citizens who would be concerned if we saw what we thought was a child sitting in the road in the middle of the night, but it’s that very compassion that carjackers and other criminals might try to exploit.
While we shouldn’t let fear keep us from doing the right thing or helping someone in need, we must remain cautious and aware of our surroundings, especially when traveling alone or in a remote area.
Criminals will do whatever it takes to succeed and it’s important for people to be aware of the methods these bad guys take. This particular crime is a tough one because anyone with a heart is going to stop in a situation like that. Just be prepared for anything.
