- Critics are blaming a rise in violent car takeovers on lax punishment for offenders, and Covid-era changes in driving habits
- Carjackings are the upswing across the nation, with some cities recording triple-digit spikes in the crime
- More than 1,800 cases were reported in Chicago last year, while another 510 cases were logged in New York City
- Last November, Chicago’s top cop revealed that an 11-year-old boy is believed to have committed several of the vehicular hijackings
- Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez blamed rising crime on lax punishment for offenders, calling it ‘the perfect storm’ for criminals
- Philadelphia’s top said she was troubled by the trend, which she said could be related to a shift in driving habits in the food delivery and curbside pickup era
Major cities across the US have observed carjackings spike by up to 510 per cent in a ‘disturbing’ trend some are attributing to lax punishment and a shift in driving habits.
In line with an overall rise in violent crime across the nation, cities such as Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and New Orleans are experiencing a jump in violent vehicle takeovers as critics slam criminal reform systems.
Others say changes that have come about during the pandemic – including curbside pickup and an increased demand for delivery service – are contributing to the jump.
In Chicago, 1,849 carjackings were reported last year – a 510 per cent increase from the 303 vehicular hijackings in 2014, according to city data. Last year’s figure represents a 30 per cent increase from the 1,413 cases reported in 2020.