NCJ Number
145265
Date Published
Unknown
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The statistical chances of being a carjacking victim are very slim, and preventive actions can reduce the risk even more.
Abstract
Carjacking is a crime of opportunity; cars provide quick cash for drug users and other criminals. Windows of opportunity that carjackers look for include intersections controlled by stop lights or signs, garages and parking lots, self-serve gas stations and car washes, automated teller machines, residential driveways and streets, and highway entry and exit ramps. Sophisticated alarms and improved locking devices make it harder for thieves to steal unoccupied cars. Most State and local criminal codes do not define carjacking because it is a relatively recent trend; instead, most codes report carjacking as either auto theft or armed robbery. Specific ways of reducing the risk of carjacking are identified that involve individual and community action.