As Chicago police investigate the reported thefts of two separate Dodge Durangos on the same block on the same night over Thanksgiving weekend, one of the victims is sharing his story to warn others about the crime.
"I just want people to be aware of what is going on over here in the 10th Ward with cars being stolen, cars being carjacked and some people being held up," said Jose Trevino. "We need to speak up so we can take care of our neighborhood."
Purchased in 2018, Trevino's brand new silver Dodge Durango SRT was almost paid off when it was stolen right in front of his house, he said.
"I know how my truck sounds and I heard it zoom out, and when I jumped out of bed and looked out the window, she was gone, the truck was gone, the Durango was gone," Trevino said.
The incident happened in the middle of the night on Nov. 25 near 110th and Avenue D in the neighborhood on the city’s Far South Side.
"Thank goodness I didn’t yell out the window, because if they would have had guns they probably would’ve shot at me," he said.
Trevino said his key fob was inside his house. The thieves busted the window to his vehicle and somehow was able to start the vehicle.
"You can’t stop these thieves,” he said. "This modern technology is for them to steal it so quickly. They said my truck was unstealable, but they stole it."
Another Dodge Durango owner down the street reported his vehicle stolen on the same night. Trevino believes it happened about 10 minutes apart.
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"They are casing out our neighborhood out here," he said. "They are driving around and they are looking, and they did it so quick."
Trevino said neighbors caught one of the incidents on camera but are too fearful to publicly share the surveillance video.
"All I heard, it was a black car, four individuals, one did the breaking in and the other three were the watch," he said.
The latest numbers from Chicago police show motor vehicle thefts are up 47% citywide compared to last year. Nearly 27,000 cases have been reported.
"The police, they have their hands tied in everything, you know, and it’s really hard because it does seem the criminals are winning and we are losing," he said.
