A Baltimore man had his car, plus several hundred dollars’ worth of items stolen from him in a so-called “bump and rob” incident Tuesday.
A bump and rob happens when a driver hits another car, then when the victim gets out of the vehicle to exchange information, the other driver steals his car.
Bump&runs are when car hits you in fender bender. When vic gets out to swap ins info...suspect takes off w/car #Baltimore PD warns public.
— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) May 4, 2016
According to a Baltimore Police report, the man was stopped at a red light at 1000 McHenry Row and Key Highway in his 2008 Acura, when he was rear-ended by a gray Hyundai hatchback.
When the victim got out of his car to check for damage, a man got out of the Hyundai, pushed him to the ground, got in the Acura and drove away.
The other person in the Hyundai also left the scene, and both vehicles were last seen traveling west on Key Highway toward the Inner Harbor. There were no weapons used.
In addition to the car, the suspects stole a case of glassware, three and a half cases of whiskey, an Apple iPhone 6s, a Dell laptop and a bag of Mizuno golf clubs.
Baltimore Police spokesman Detective Donny Moses said this kind of carjacking is happening more frequently throughout the city.
"These incidents are happening in all parts of town, and it's happened at any time of the day. So, at this point it's just a sporadic thing that's going on and we've got to pinpoint who and what are doing it," Moses said.
He added that his department has identified twelve suspects and have made several arrests in connection to these incidents, but that it hasn't stopped thieves from continuing the pattern.
"We do feel like in one way or another they are associated, the method is just too similar in every case," Moses said.
Police are working to apprehend those individuals, but in the meantime, are advising motorists to think twice before doing what's normally the right thing to do.
"Remain in your car with your windows up and vehicles locked. If you feel like you're not in a safe place, stay on the phone with 911 while you're driving around until you can get the police to connect with you or you can find a police station," Moses said.
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