City car jackings on the increase

Two of the most common crimes are car thefts and car robberies, which since 2007 have been on the rise.

In 2008 there were 786 car thefts and 286 car robberies. The big difference between the two crimes is that in thefts no violence is used by the delinquents, while in robberies the victim is mentally and physically threatened and even injured to oblige the handing over of possessions.

The prosecutor Ruth Morcillo said that in the majority of car thefts the criminals are planning to use the vehicle to commit another crime.

In other instances, the delinquents kidnap the victim in his or her own car, and go to different ATM machines to withdraw money from debit and credit cards.

If the victim does not remember the numbers he or she will be beaten and on occasion taken to their home to rob the house and on extreme occasions even rape and murder is on the cards.

Car thefts are different, because the delinquent is only interested in the car.

He just takes the vehicle from a car park or garage and drives it to a location to be dismantled or shipped to another country.

According to Morcillo these criminals are very well organized and vehicles are stolen to order. They go to shopping center car parks to select the vehicle they want and in less than five minutes including disabling the alarm they are on their way.

Morcillo said that recently, with the help of the Municipal Office in charge of vehicle inspections and other government departments, a network of garages dedicated to the sale of stolen parts were raided and prosecuted.

The prosecutor said in the case of car robberies criminals use ingenious ways to stop their potential victim.

In deserted areas they erect a road block, pretending to be policemen to stop any potential victims. They ask the driver to get out of the car and proceed to rob him or her.

Sometimes the delinquents hit the back of the car, when the driver gets out to investigate the damage, they attack him. Another method is to throw bricks at a car to make the person stop. Others wait for the car to get to a red traffic light, or is standing stationary. If the car is not loccked they jump in and rob the occupants and take the car.

Morcillo added that if you become a victims of a car robbery, it is better to give the criminals what they want, because after all you can replace a car, money or a piece of jewelry, but not your life.

Her best advice to avoid becoming another statistic was to be vigilant at all times and to never stop in isolated places.