Carjacking in broad daylight

Unfortunately I've been on the receiving end twice now, not successful in both attempt but horrible horrible experience...
 
I'm originally from South Africa so tend to be numb to hi-jackings etc but I found it scary that its now happening over here more often and now in broad daylight. Most of us that immigrate to the UK are trying to move away from all of this.
 
Unfortunately with more people coming in, more of the crimes will come along as well. And it isn't just the UK in Europe...Italy we had it in the 70's already...And it was in Spain where I unfortunately experienced it twice but thwarted their intentions...
 
dejongj said:
Unfortunately with more people coming in, more of the crimes will come along as well. And it isn't just the UK in Europe...Italy we had it in the 70's already...And it was in Spain where I unfortunately experienced it twice but thwarted their intentions...
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A couple of years ago, I read about Eastern European gangs targeting English motorists in the Pas de Calais, between Calais and the Belgian border. The method employed was to follow a British plate car to a quiet petrol station, then attempt a carjacking. Last April, we went over to France on a daytrip, and when returning from Boulogne to Calais, an E Class Mercedes (silver), tailgated us for a few miles on the motorway, flashing its lights for us to pull over. It also had blue lights in the front grill which made me think about pulling over, until I noticed it had British plates, so I carried on and it pulled off at the next exit. I checked my car when I got to Calais and there was nothing wrong with it, and I wasn't speeding at the time (the Mercedes must have been doing over a ton, the speed it caught me up).
We always lock the doors when we are driving around now - can't be too careful!
 
andy700 said:
A couple of years ago, I read about Eastern European gangs targeting English motorists in the Pas de Calais, between Calais and the Belgian border. The method employed was to follow a British plate car to a quiet petrol station, then attempt a carjacking. Last April, we went over to France on a daytrip, and when returning from Boulogne to Calais, an E Class Mercedes (silver), tailgated us for a few miles on the motorway, flashing its lights for us to pull over. It also had blue lights in the front grill which made me think about pulling over, until I noticed it had British plates, so I carried on and it pulled off at the next exit. I checked my car when I got to Calais and there was nothing wrong with it, and I wasn't speeding at the time (the Mercedes must have been doing over a ton, the speed it caught me up).
We always lock the doors when we are driving around now - can't be too careful!
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Exactly. It is amazing to see what's going on. I always have my doors locked and keep an eye on my mirrors and surrounding. In Barcelona I made a wrong turn trying to find a car parking space, and in the Arab quarter I noticed a couple of chaps keeping up with our vehicle. At the end of the road where it was quiet and a red traffic light they disappeared to all of a sudden appear either side of the car and I spotted something looking like a Browning in the hand of the chap on my side of the vehicle. They were right next to our car and the hands touched the read door handles (my girls were in the back). I didn't wait and rammed the vehicle in front out of the way, went like mad whilst dialling 112 for some assistance...Wouldn't have liked to know what would have happened if we didn't have the doors locked and I didn't spot them until later.
 
I think that there are new levels of desperation amongst some of the people entering Europe, and what may be shocking to us, is just normal to someone from Eastern Europe or the Middle East/Africa, where weapons are so easy to come by.
 
Absolutely, it is something that my family has noticed over the years. Due to the kind of business they had they've always attracted lets say slightly unsavoury characters who can muscle in, and seen them all over the years. The last 10-15 years its been groups that have no regard for live or anyone at all, who treat woman absolutely appaling and won't hesitate to kill for nothing. Sweden is really feeling the pain now as well as was all over the news this week.

Yet liberal lefties keep saying come on in, all are welcome...Glad the archbishop entered the debate to fight back against the racist label certain people like to apply to anyone critical of the situation. It seems to have helped a little in making it a topic that can be discussed.
 
There are scum of all creeds, colours and nationalities. Home grown and imports. Criminality is a global issue.

Perhaps one island needs to be designated the world wide destination for criminals? Australia seems a good choice as it was where we sent all ours ;) Plus if they don't behave they can be sent into the outback to sizzle.
 
A woman who lived down our road was carjacked several years ago. Car wasn't anything special or anywhere new for that matter. It was daylight, but not many people or other cars about. Two blokes walked up and had the doors open before the woman realised they were there. Practically dragged her and her mother out of the car whilst threatening them, then just jumped in and drove off.
 
Limitless said:
I'm originally from South Africa so tend to be numb to hi-jackings etc but I found it scary that its now happening over here more often and now in broad daylight. Most of us that immigrate to the UK are trying to move away from all of this.
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I've spent most of my adult life in SA, mainly in security risk management roles, and I know exactly what you're talking about. The UK hijackings haven't reached anything like the SA level of murderous violence, but it's disturbing. Most people probably don't have the same sense of situational awareness either, or the knowledge of countermeasures.
 
MartynK said:
I've spent most of my adult life in SA, mainly in security risk management roles, and I know exactly what you're talking about. The UK hijackings haven't reached anything like the SA level of murderous violence, but it's disturbing. Most people probably don't have the same sense of situational awareness either, or the knowledge of countermeasures.
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Agreed, if this had happened to me I probably would've followed them in the other car while on the phone to the police, obviously I wouldn't drive dangerously but I would've tried.

I've been here for 8 years and over the years I've seen how quickly the robberies have escalated and it's very worrying.
 
It becomes seriously important to think about the equivalent of the "2nd amendment" from the US constitution. The c***s wouldn't be walking now to try this again another day.
 
Watching the video again, obviously sound may have made things clearer, it could all be perfectly plausible, but a couple of things don't quite add up.
1. What are the chances that car thieves would just so happen to be passing at that time, or were they actually staked out ready and waiting for such an opportunity?
2. If someone was trying to hit me with something, especially if it's a metal bar as reported, I'd be at least trying to defend myself from the second blow, not just stand there and barely even flinch.
 
Report says it happened at 9am. Time thing on the cctv said 10.24.

Car jackers tend to follow people home or to where they can get the car away easily. I'd think they would cruise neighbourhoods for posh cars and just pick on anyone that they thought they could get the car off easily. Most people have a routine so it's easy enough.
 
About 6 years ago I was driving on A1 when a car came fast up to my boot, flashing his lights. He followed me closely. I changed to another dual carriageway and he followed.

I was in the car by myself and could see there were two of them. This was early evening but daylight.

I saw a layby coming up and there was a lorry in the inside lane. I timed my move from outside lane across the front of the lorry and into the lay-by so that the following car had no time to manoeuvre. I stayed in the lay-by for 10 to 15 minutes.

I then set off, but at the next lay-by saw the car that was following me. As I past they started following again. They got in front of me at one stage and slowed to try and force me to stop. I was in a Volvo V70 and was able to brake and manoeuvre because of the technical wizardry in the car. I was in front again and they continued to follow me.

At this stage I called the police on hands free mobile. They asked me to drive direct to a police station and stayed on the line directing me. This meant I had to turn off the dual carriageway and manoeuvre a roundabout and then a single carriageway road. I was worried. Even more so when I gave the police the reg. no. and they advised me it wasn't a valid number. On the slip road they passed me again and pulled up sharply in front of me and started to exit their car. Again I was able to brake and manoeuvre around them. On the roundabout there was a police car going the other way. I sounded horn and flashed lights. Although the police car didn't react it was enough to cause the following car to speed away from me.

When I got to police station their take on it was that they wanted my car for a ram raid as V70's are favoured for the long bonnet and safety protection.

A very frightening experience.
 
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