As carjackings are on a record pace in the Twin Cities, the question has been asked "what should you do if you're being carjacked?" The Paul and Jordana Show welcomed Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson on to answer that question after Jordana told a story about one of her friends being carjacked after getting cash out of an ATM.
"Being aware helps," says Sheriff Hutchinson. "Check out your surroundings. If you see anyone looking suspicious change your pattern, go to a different ATM."
What happens if you are sitting in an intersection when the carjacking happens? Sheriff Hutchinson had advice for that situation as well.
"If you're parked at an intersection, people forget to give yourself a few feet of room so you can go right or left or get out of the situation if someone comes to your window. Keep your doors locked."
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While carjackings are up over 40% in Minneapolis alone in 2021, Sheriff Hutchinson says some of the reasons for the spike are the pandemic and not enough police officers on the force. While he says it's necessary in some situation, Sheriff Hutchinson also says that since mask-wearing has become the normal, being able to conceal your identity with a mask hasn't helped.
Hutchinson says that, while your car isn't worth losing your life, there are steps you can take to prevent becoming a victim of carjacking.
"Have a plan, keep your head on a swivel. You don't want to be paranoid, but you have to be aware of your surroundings," Hutchinson said. "If someone does attack you when you're outside your car try to get away from the situation."