Car Security
Ambushes

Car security means learning about car ambushes that lead to carjacking, robbery, rape, or murder. Car security requires being aware.

Bump-and-Rob: a car bumps yours in order to get you to pull over to "file an accident report." One early tip-off of a crime-in-progress is if his car is trying to barricade yours from leaving. ... If you’re not sure, open your window no more than a quarter-inch to give him a paper with your name and car's license plate number – only. Do not hand him any of your paperwork. Do not open your door no matter what. ... Or, better for car security, simply signal him to follow you, then turn on your flashing hazard lights and drive slowly to an active public area where you can phone the police.

Force-Over: If a Bump-and-Rob doesn’t work, the more brazen robbers may grow frustrated and simply force your car off the road. “Drive to Survive” author Curt Rich advises for car security that if you must jump a curb, do so at an angle. Or quickly back up to escape. Otherwise, simply get all your passengers out and give up your car and money.

Blockade: An obstacle suddenly blocking your path (whether a trash can or a vehicle) allows criminals to swarm your car. Again, for car security, jump a curb or back up to escape. If two cars block you from front and rear, ram back and forth until you can escape. Otherwise, simply get all your passengers out and give up your car and money.

A man and his family had just pulled into their driveway when a man approached them looking for directions. The victim said as he walked toward the man to help him, the suspect pulled out a gun and demanded cash. The victim threw what money he had on the ground. The robber and getaway driver fled. The victim believes he and his family were followed.
Excerpted from KTRK-TV (Fort Bend TX) – 07 February 2006

The victims thought they saw someone following them home. As they arrived home, the husband saw a pickup truck drive by the house. The driver looked like a man the couple had seen earlier that night. ... Around 5 a.m., Tracy Lee Harden broke into the home and hit the sleeping husband in the head with a hammer. Harden then dragged the wife into the living room and raped her while swinging a hammer and threatening to kill her. Her husband, who was bleeding badly and barely conscious, then stumbled into the living room and hit the suspect in the face. The husband and wife were then both able to fight Harden causing him to flee.
Excerpted from The Dublin Courier-Herald (GA) – 12 December 2003

Follow-Home: If anyone seems to be following you, don’t go directly home. For car security, circle the block. If you’re still being followed, go to an active public place, stay in your locked car and blow the horn.

Getting In or Out of Your Car: while going to or from your car, for car security, hold Pepper Spray (and a noisemaker alarm) at the ready (or, since you already have your car-keys in hand, keep your thumb on your car horn’s panic-button remote-control pocket fob). You can also get a remote-control keyless door lock for quicker entry into your home.

Garage Sneak-In:

The two men followed a doctor and his family into their garage, put guns to their heads and robbed them.
Excerpted from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram – 14 October 2004

See Shielding Your Garage from sneak-ins in Garage & Yard Reinforcement.

Hitchhikers:

Dr. Samuel Peebles and his wife picked up hitchhiker Scott Eizember on a cold, rainy afternoon. Eizember pulled a handgun, pistol whipped them and drove off in their van. He'd already carjacked and murdered another couple earlier.
Excerpted from The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – 07 December 2005

For car security, do not pick up any hitchhiker - and remember that 13 percent of armed robbers are female.

Phony-Cop:

Two men in a car with municipal plates and flashing lights went on a crime spree, stopping five cars by impersonating police officers. They stole $300 from one couple, pulled over and robbed a man and carjacked another man's sport-utility vehicle. In another robbery attempt, they killed a 22-year-old man as he walked past the car they pulled over.
Excerpted from The Chicago Tribune – 10 September 2001

She was pulled over by what she thought was a lawman with a flashing blue light on the dashboard. “I was getting my driver’s license and registration from my purse,” she said, and turned to see a man wearing a ski mask pointing a handgun at her. Blindfolded, she was raped.
Excerpted from The Arkansas Leader – 20 September 2006

Rarely will a real plain-clothes police officer in a plain, unmarked car ever stop an ordinary driver. Yet roughly 25,000 people each year are victimized by false police cars (a plain car with only a flashing light and perhaps a siren).

Kentucky State Police Officer Bruce Mandelblit wrote in NewsMax.com, "If an unmarked police car signals you to pull over, especially at night, and you’re not sure the person is a law enforcement officer, for car security, put on your four-way hazard flashers and dome light, and slowly drive to the closest well-lit public area.” Also call 911 on your cell phone to officially register your fears as well as find out if the cop is legitimate.

Phony-Victim-Needing-Help: A woman stopped her car at a stop sign when a young man staggered in front of her car and seemed to fall unconscious. She got out to help and he robbed her.

A man stopped at a stop sign and a desperate young woman ran up begging for help because “someone was chasing her.” When he used the automatic control to unlock the passenger door for her, his own door was yanked open by her hidden male partner. Together, they mugged and carjacked him.

The Good Samaritan was parking outside a store when James Walton flagged him down seeking help. He agreed to help him jump-start his disabled car and give him a ride to where he said his car had broken down. A few blocks away, the Good Samaritan realized it had just been a ruse to get him alone in a more secluded area. James Walton repeatedly punched the Good Samaritan in the face before fleeing in his Honda Civic…. “I didn't realize there were people like James Walton in the world,” he said. “I have learned not to be as trusting of strangers. I had never questioned helping people in the past, and I am upset that I have to worry about this in the future. I felt threatened for my life and am still traumatized.”
Excerpted from The Chicago Daily Herald – 30 March 2007

Joanne Lees and Peter Falconio were attacked on a remote highway in the Australian Outback. They were flagged down by a man who claimed his car had broken down. Mr Falconio was shot, while Ms Lees was tied up. She managed to escape and hid in the bush for five hours while her attacker searched for her.
Excerpted from The Belfast Telegraph (UK) – 27 March 2006

Phony Good Samaritan: Returning to his parked car, a man found it with a flat tire. As he began replacing it with a spare, a Good Samaritan passerby insisted on helping. The Good Samaritan used the tire-iron to knock the man unconscious and steal his wallet and car. Guess who had deflated the tire and waited for him?

The Interstate 65 serial rapist is still on the loose. Four women were raped by a man who pulled them over by signaling that something was wrong with their vehicle, then offering to give them a ride to get help. The man pulled over three other women but they declined his offer of a ride and were not harmed. They all described him as being very polite.
Excerpted from The Tennessean – 11 July 2000

At an interstate rest stop, a man told a woman something was leaking from her car, then forced her into the back of the vehicle and raped her.
Excerpted from WLKY-TV32 Louisville – 25 June 2004

Cal Brown got Holly Washa to pull over by implying something was wrong with her car. He robbed her and took her to a nearby motel, where prosecutors say he tied her up, tortured and sexually assaulted her repeatedly, then murdered her.
Excerpted from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer – 04 June 2007

See Kidnapping and Kidnap Survival.

Highway Rest Stops and Car Security:

Alexandra Zapp stopped at the rest area to use the restroom. Zapp screamed when she saw Paul Leahy standing outside the room with a knife. Leahy pushed Zapp back into the women's room, struggled with her and tried to get her to stop screaming. As she fought him, he stabbed her to death.
Excerpted from The Associated Press – 23 September 2003

Kristin Laurite stopped halfway through a cross-country trip at a rest stop to exercise her dogs. Investigators believe that Ronald Ward, a drifter, attacked Laurite there, stabbed her in the throat 10 times, raped, and killed her.
Excerpted from The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – 13 May 2006

For car security, a woman should carry pepper spray in hand and ready to use. See Pepper Spray & Devices.

Highway rest areas, remotely located and oftentimes lonely, provide ideal settings for drug deals and predators hunting for prey.
• Know its name or the closest mile marker in case you need to call authorities.
• Avoid parking close to trucks that could prevent witnesses from seeing your car – predators seek that kind of cover.
• Older children and adults should have someone go with them to the public lavatory or wait outside. If a child under age 12 is of the opposite sex, knock on the door, stick your head in to check it out, and then guard the door. Or take a younger child to your bathroom with you – just make an announcement as you enter.
• Avoid stopping at an isolated and empty rest stop at night for the public lavatory. Instead, use the lavatory at a restaurant or convenience store.
• Instead of napping at a rest area (or on the side of the road), find an RV campground. For a small fee you can nap in your car while reasonably secure.
• Get your child a noisemaker alarm (the “pin-pull” type) to be attached to a belt - see www.guarddog.net. Engrave your name and phone number on the back of it.
• Never leave your child unattended for even a moment. If you get separated within a crowd of adults, crouch down and look for your child's feet – they’ll be easier to spot. If no luck, loudly yell "Help! My child is missing!" People will respond.
• Never leave your child unattended in a car – especially with the keys in the ignition. If ever you see such an appalling violation of child safety, call the police immediately. Foolish parents need a harsh lesson.

One night, Charlie drove his car headfirst into a parking spot in a convenience store parking lot. He put his gear selector into “Park” but before he turned off the motor, two men were at his window – one pointing a rifle at Charlie. The unarmed partner urged his buddy to “Shoot him! Shoot him!” ... Charlie calmly said, “Take my money, take my car. Just let me go. I’m reaching slowly into my pocket for my money.” As Charlie was about to hand it over, he heard a voice in his head (he swears it was his guardian angel) saying, “Crumple the money! Crumple the money!” So Charlie crumpled the bills into a ball and handed it over. ... Both bandits turned away to uncrumple the money in the light behind them, probably anxious to see if they had enough money for more drugs. Seeing his chance, Charlie roared backwards out of the spot. As he spent precious seconds slamming on the brakes and shifting into Drive to complete his escape, they were yelling, “Hey! Where you goin’?” while raising the rifle to take aim. Charlie ducked while roaring away. ... Charlie was lucky that they turned around for light to see their loot and lucky that his motor was still running. Nevertheless, ever since then for car security, Charlie backs into parking spaces (so he’s facing outward) for a faster getaway and he looks around carefully before turning off the motor and exiting.

A stranded motorist is a prime target for a criminal. In case of a breakdown, have a white rag handy to hang on the side-view mirror (a well-known car security distress signal) and wait for the police.

No matter how nice a Good Samaritan may seem, few people other than predators offer to help. If anyone does offer, stay in your car and, through a slightly opened window, ask him to summon help. If he offers you (or your companion) a ride, don’t accept it. Do not leave the relative safety of your locked car.

Stay inside your locked car unless you’re worried about a passing car smashing into yours (it sometimes happens to cars on the roadside). Hide nearby until a cop stops to check the white rag you've attached to your side mirror. Don’t wander off unless you know where you’re going.

If you get a flat tire, activate your flashing hazard lights and drive slowly until you reach a safe, well-lighted and well-traveled area. Get car security emergency kits at an auto parts store.

If Your Car is Fire-Bombed

Your car is fire-bombed. Your first reaction should be to get out, right? Wrong, TV’s "America's Most Wanted" correspondent and retired San Diego police SWAT instructor Sanford Strong says. The first reaction should be to step on the gas and drive until the flames are out -- advice that once helped save his life.
Excerpted from The Jackson Citizen-Patriot (MI) – 16 April 2007

For complete car security, see
• Car Security - Overview
• Avoiding Carjacking: being alert and prepared.
• Escaping Carjacking: the best strategies.
• Car Ambushes (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE): traps and escapes.
• Road Rage: avoiding a lunatic.
• Recap of Car Security.
• Pepper Spray & Devices.

Return to
Car Security - Overview
Crime-Safety-Security Home Page