Police warn Costco shoppers of gas station carjacking trend
Police in the Chicago suburbs are warning shoppers to be aware of their surroundings following a recent rash of carjackings at Costco gas stations.
The Glenview Police Department confirmed to NBC Chicago on Dec. 20 that a driver of a Mercedes sedan was carjacked in broad daylight as they filled up on gas.
Police said the driver saw a man in all-black clothing and a black ski mask get in on the driver’s side, start the car, and start to pull away. They said the owner tried to get in on the other side to stop the thief, but fell.
On Dec. 21, following the Glenview, Illinois, Costco carjacking, the local police posted a warning to Facebook.
“HIDE your belongings. LOCK your car. TAKE your keys (FOBS),” the post reads. “PLEASE, Lock your car and REMOVE keyfobs from your parked cars.”
Police in nearby Wilmette, Illinois, shared a similar warning on Dec. 20.
“Over the last couple of weeks, there has been an increase of daytime and early evening car thefts from North suburban gas stations,” the warning on Facebook reads. “These offenders are targeting unlocked vehicles while the victims are pumping gas or are inside the convenience store. Be aware of your surroundings and please report any suspicious activity to the police.”
It's not the only recent brazen car theft in the Chicago area. In November, a woman was dragged by a man stealing her car in nearby Niles, Illinois.
Niketa Patel told NBC Chicago that she had been filling up her vehicle’s gas tank at the Costco gas station when a man in a ski mask hopped inside.
"I was holding the driver’s side door, and I was waving my head, 'Don’t do it!' But that guy, he wasn’t scared," she said, adding that he dragged her alongside the car.
"The guy turned on the car and he dragged me from the gas station to the stop sign," she said. "I fell and I was bleeding from my elbow, and I was screaming."
Patel said that the robber got away with her phone, purse and black Lexus, which had been a gift from her late son just before his death in 2021.
The Niles Police Department told NBC Chicago there had been three reported stolen vehicles and two carjacking attempts at that specific gas station between July 29 and Sept. 25. Officials said that each vehicle was taken while the driver was pumping gas with the engine running.
At the time, Niles police said drivers should be sure to shut their engine off while pumping gas and to take the car keys with them.
The Costco gas station incidents certainly aren't only local to the Chicago area. As WBAL, a Maryland NBC affiliate, reports a woman was carjacked at the Hanover Costco gas station on Black Friday.
Anne Arundel County police told the station that two men approached a woman filling up her Range Rover at a Costco gas station and demanded the keys at gunpoint. At the time, police said the incident was surprising but fits recent trends.
"I would describe this as a brazen crime, but we do have criminals that are opportunistic. They’re looking for situations they can take advantage of, and that appears to be one of them,” Justin Mulcahy, the executive assistant to the chief of police told WBAL.
Police urged people to be vigilant, especially amid the holiday season. Costco did not immediately respond to TODAY.com's request for comment.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
