Carjackings in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood have doubled in the first four months of 2022 compared to this time last year.
More recently, the neighborhood saw two carjackings in 48 hours.
One of the incidents took place Wednesday, at the 2100 block of North Lincoln Park where a couple delivering packages were pulled from their vehicle. A pair of carjackers then drove off in the car while the couple's two young children were still inside.
“When I saw my car driving off and my husband being dragged through the street I was like, ‘what is going on? Where are they taking my kids,’” Lilibeth Garcia said.
According to the family, Garcia was finishing an Amazon delivery on a residential street near the Lincoln Park Zoo at approximately 8:05 p.m. Wednesday when a vehicle pulled up behind their SUV and two suspects got out.
One of the suspects then pulled Garcia’s husband out of the driver’s side seat and took the wheel, speeding away from the scene with her 1-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son still fastened into their car seats in the back.
“It happened in seconds, where I didn’t even know what to do,” she said. “I didn’t know if I should run, what way, try to call 911 or pay attention to my husband because he was hurt.”
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Garcia’s husband tried to hang onto the SUV after it was stolen, but ultimately fell to the ground, authorities said.
Within minutes, Chicago police were able to find the SUV just a few blocks away on Stockton, with the children still safely inside.
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Michelle Smith, Alderman of the 43rd Ward which includes the Lincoln Park neighborhood, tweeted Wednesday that the area will see "increased patrols," and, depending on funds, more cameras.
Chicago police detectives collected evidence, including surveillance video, from the scene.
No suspects are in custody, and the investigation remains underway.
