A woman who went missing after a carjacking in Winter Springs on Thursday is now believed to be dead, sparking concerns over where the potential suspects are and why it happened.
While the FBI doesn’t collect specific data on carjacking, the agency’s 2022 violent crime report shows that robbery rates have seen a downward trend.
But overall, motor vehicle thefts went up.
Of the auto thefts that happened in Florida that year, the data indicates that they were most likely to happen at the following locations:
- At a person’s home (878 cases)
- Along a highway/alley/street/sidewalk (876 cases)
- In a parking garage or lot (306 cases)
- At a convenience store (194 cases)
- At a gas station (190 cases)
In addition: of the auto theft cases to happen in Florida in 2022, at least 67 were connected to kidnapping or abduction, the report says.
Those figures also place Florida’s auto theft rate at 138 cases per 100,000 people — less than 0.14%. That’s less than half the rate of the national average.
However, the FBI receives its numbers from law enforcement agencies that choose to share their data, so auto theft cases could be much higher in Florida depending on how many agencies participated and whether their information was reliable.
BUT HOW CAN I PREVENT A CARJACKING?
The Florida Attorney General’s Office provides the following tips to keep residents out of risky situations where they could be carjacked:
- Lock it up: Keep doors locked and windows shut.
- Keep going: Don’t stop to help a disabled motorist. Instead, contact a service station or police.
- Personal space: When stopped at a light, leave enough room between you and the car in front so that you can escape if necessary.
- Keep on guard: Be suspicious of anyone approaching the car with fliers, asking for change or directions.
- Get ready to flee: Be ready to leave carefully, even if it means running a red light or a stop sign.
- Stay inside: While driving, if struck from behind or in any suspicious way, stay in your vehicle with the doors locked and windows closed until the police arrive. Activate your vehicle’s emergency flashers.
- Keep your eyes peeled: If you’re very suspicious of someone, get the other vehicle’s license number and drive to the nearest police station or a well-lighted area with lots of people.
- Stick in a group: If you think you are being followed, drive immediately to an area with lots of lights and people. If possible, drive to the nearest law enforcement office.
- Call for help: Obtain and use a cellular phone to call for help. In Florida, dialing *FHP anywhere in the state from a cellphone will connect you with the nearest Florida Highway Patrol station.
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