August 2024
Carjacking incidents are on the rise. You can reduce your risk by being aware of your surroundings and having a safety plan in place. Crime prevention and personal safety strategies outlined by Toronto Police Services can help you protect yourself against carjackings.
HOW TO REDUCE RISK OF CARJACKING
GETTING INTO YOUR VEHICLE
- Be alert to any activity near your vehicle and pay attention to your surroundings.
- Stay off your cellphone.
- When approaching your car, have your keys or remote in hand.
- Check the back seat before getting in.
- If someone is loitering near your unoccupied car as you approach it, keep walking until the person leaves.
- Trust your instincts. If something makes you feel uneasy, get into the car quickly, lock the doors and drive away.
ONCE YOU’RE IN YOUR VEHICLE
- Keep your doors locked, no matter how short the distance or how “safe” the neighborhood.
- Have another adult in the vehicle whenever possible, especially at night as this may act as a deterrent.
- When you’re coming to a stop, leave enough space to see the back tires of the car in front of you. If you sense trouble, this will allow you the room needed to drive away.
- If you are arriving home and notice someone you don’t recognize on your property, drive around the block and come back after the person has left.
GETTING OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
- When possible, reverse into parking spots to make it easier to drive away.
- Park in well-lit areas, near sidewalks or walkways. Avoid parking near dumpsters, wooded areas, large vans or trucks, or anything else that limits your visibility.
- Never leave valuables in plain view, even if the car is locked. Put them in the trunk or out of sight.
- Try to park in a garage with an attendant. If you are leaving your vehicle with a valet, leave only the ignition key, with no personal identification.
- Even if you’re rushed, look around before you get out and stay alert to your surroundings. Trust your instincts.
IF YOU GET CARJACKED
- If you are being robbed of your vehicle, don’t argue. Give up your vehicle and get away as quickly as possible.
- If there is a child in the vehicle, let the carjacker know, “my child is in the car.” This may be a deterrent to taking the vehicle.
- Notice and remember what the carjacker looked like: sex, race, age, hair and eye colour, tattoos, special features, clothes and anything specific like an accent.
- Report the crime immediately to the police.
WHY ARE CARJACKINGS ON THE RISE?
- Carjacking is a crime of opportunity and can take place anywhere.
- It can potentially be part of another crime.
- Vehicle thieves find it easier to steal a car while the driver is there with the keys in the ignition rather than to break into a vehicle, especially if the vehicle has an alarm.
- Vehicles equipped with sophisticated, built-in alarm systems and theft-deterrent devices are harder to steal.
- Vehicles, especially luxury models, provide quick cash for criminals.
- Carjacking may be a rite of passage, initiation act, or just a thrill for some.
WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT CARJACKERS LOOK FOR
- Intersections controlled by traffic lights or stop signs
- Parking garages, shopping malls and grocery stores
- Self-service gas stations and car washes.
- ATMs (automated teller machines)
- Residential driveways and streets as people get in and out of their cars
- Highway exit and entry ramps, or other places where drivers slow down or stop
For more information on crime prevention, visit the Toronto Police website.
Thank you to Toronto Police Services for providing this information which is available on their website or in pdf and brochure form.
