More on carjackings

 Carjackings more than doubled in 2020 in the Chicago area, many of the assailants were teens or even preteens!

People in Chicago are constantly afraid of being carjacked by young people

 

 

Carjackings have sadly more than doubled in 2020 according to Chicago police data just released. We've talked about this trend earlier before winter break, and now more information is becoming available about this widespread increase in carjackings This is similar to a trend occurring nationwide, with many or most of the criminals being only teenagers and in some very sad cases, only 10 years old! As you might know there was even a tragic case of two teens in Waukegan that stole a car and then hit a tree last summer, with one of the individuals killed by the impact. Unfortunately carjackings have continued to be a problem in the Chicago area since summer. In the many cases of this crime that are occurring throughout Chicagoland, most of the criminals have guns and most are young people. 

According to the Chicago Tribune:

In a year when Chicago struggled with violent crime, an analysis of police data shows 2020 came to a close with carjackings more than doubling in the city over the prior 12 months to a total unseen in nearly two decades.

Carjackings rose about 135%, to 1,415 in 2020 from 603 in 2019, according to the Tribune review of police information. The 2020 tally was the highest figure recorded here since 2001, when Chicago logged only slightly more with 1,422, the city statistics show. (Carjackings more than double in Chicago during 2020, police say, perhaps as criminals blended in with masked public)

A carjacking that occurred in Chicago

Similarly ABC news writes that Minneapolis has had a 537% increase in carjackings in 2020:

Now with schools closed due to COVID, more youthful offenders are apparently taking advantage of the situation. Minneapolis Police Commander Charlie Adams told ABC News that "80% of our carjackings and robberies are being done by juveniles, ages from 9 up to 17."(Why carjackings have skyrocketed in parts of the country during the pandemic)

The same article describes why carjacking is appealing to teens:

Asked why carjacking in particular seems to be such an alluring crime for juveniles, Adams said “I just believe they know what's going on. They know what they can get away with.” He said these kids post about their carjackings on social media, “basically bragging.”

 So the majority of carjackings apparently are being carried out by teens that would normally be in school. But why do some young people turn to crime during the pandemic? 

Question: why are some teens turning towards crime during the pandemic?

  Carjackings more than double in Chicago during 2020, police say, perhaps as criminals blended in with masked public