Carjackers killed woman

In Texas, a woman -- a mother of five -- was brutally stabbed to death when she fought back during a carjacking in northeast Harris County (Houston). Now, one of the suspects have been arrested, according to khou.com.

The woman was walking into a mobile phone store when a man, attempting to steal her car, grabbed her car keys. It is believed that the woman fought the would-be carjacker because her 4-month-old daughter was still in the car.

The 24-year-old assailant, which authorities say are an illegal immigrant, stabbed the woman several times. He then got into a waiting car driven by an accomplice. The store's security cameras captured the brutal attack.

Not long before the deadly attack, the assailant was caught in security video stealing beer from a convenience store, police said.

The carjackers -- using knives and targeting women -- reportedly began their crime spree at convenience store Tuesday in Northeast Harris County.

A surveillance video shows the passenger of a car getting out of the vehicle and walking into the store. On of the carjackers then approached the driver, waiting in the vehicle.

Using a knife, he forced her out and she hurried inside, uninjured, police said. Then the second carjacker jumped into the vehicle, hopping in the driver's seat. The stolen car then takes off.

The next day, the same men targeted another woman, police said. Again, the carjacked victim was unharmed. The third woman targeted Wednesday night fought back, and was tragically killed.

'Latching out'

You have probably heard the acronym RTFM (which stands for: Read The F****** Manual!)?
Well, maybe this story should give an indication as to why we men (because most of us will not RTFM) need to get over the "I'll figure it out myself and prove I'm a man - then - when everything else fails, I might read the manual" syndrome.

This story shows a very smart young woman. A series of precise observations and actions taking place. Read it!

Story:
Florida -- Abcnews.go.com reports about a woman who was forced, at gunpoint, into the trunk of her own car in Dayonta Beach on February 12 .

Saying to herself she had to get out before he got on the highway, the 26-year-old woman remembered the emergency latch in her trunk. She was able to jump when the carjacker slowed down, escaping with only a small scratch.

The woman said she remembered the latch because she had read the entire manual when she bought the car.

Hornblower

Numbers given by Meridian police in Mississippi, shows there have been three carjackings or carjacking attempts during a recent period of six and a half weeks and a total of four in 2007.

However, police blotters, which are provided to the media on a daily basis, show a total of six this year.

In a recent, unsuccessful, carjacking attempt, the female driver began blowing her horn, which made the suspect run away. Making noise is often the best defense, police claims.

"Most of these individuals don't want to be apprehended, don't want to be caught or identified, and they will usually run away or whatever," the spokesman said.

Paranoid?

Maybe it's a bit paranoid to look into your vehicle before entering?
Or maybe it's a good idea? After all things like this happen to someone ...
And this someone could never be you or me, right?

Story:
Tennessee -- Sheer terror greeted a woman early Sunday as she drove away from a Memphis gas station and a carjacker popped up in her car's back seat.

The woman had filled up at the a gas station about 3 a.m. When she went inside to pay the carjacker got into her car. As she drove away from the station he attacked her.

The woman fought with the suspect, then jumped from her moving vehicle and ran toward the store, police said.

Instead of driving away with the car, the carjacker turned it around and began chasing her. The woman was able to evade the carjacker by running between two buildings. The suspect then drove off.

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Classic distraction

Here's a classic distraction technique, involving two or more perpetrators. This incident describes a carjacking, but similar methods is used in thefts and robberies as well.

Story:
California -- The 4:03 p.m. carjacking occurred in a Kmart parking.

A 24-year-old man pulled into the lot in his car Saturday afternoon, when a woman approached and began a conversation, according to Antioch police.

While they spoke, the gunman climbed into the driver's-side passenger door, held a revolver to the back of driver's head and ordered him to empty his pockets.

The gunman then ordered the driver out of the vehicle, which he then stole. The woman fled in another vehicle.

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Entering your car

Entering you house or your car is the moment you should be aware - unfortunately many are not. We are often preoccupied by things we are going to do, rather than what we are doing right there and then.
Criminals are aware of the fact, and may strike at that point.

Story:
Indiana -- Police on Wednesday night released a composite sketch of a male they believe raped, robbed and carjacked an Indianapolis woman this week and had received numerous tips after that release.

The woman told police that she had just returned to her car in a downtown parking garage after work Monday when a male approached her, told her he had a weapon and forced her to drive him to a bank. The attacker made her withdraw money and raped her before she escaped, police said.

Also Wednesday, police said they're checking similarities between Monday's rape and an unsolved rape of a teacher in 2006.

Police said the teacher had just entered her car to leave the Sycamore School in April when a male entered the vehicle, pulled out a gun and told her to drive.

The gunman forced the teacher to drive to a nearby neighborhood before sexually assaulting her in the car, police said. Then they drove to a bank, where he made her withdraw money from an automated teller machine, police said.

They then drove to a different school and raped her in the car, according to police. The gunman then left the teacher, taking the money, her driver's license and her cell phone.

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'Honkido'

Biloxi, Mississippi -- The victim of an attempted sexual assault and carjacking attracted attention by honking her horn, which scared off her attacker, police confirmed after announcing the suspect's arrest.

The 18-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday at his home a few blocks from the convenience store where the crimes were reported early Sunday.

The woman was hurt, but her physical injuries were not believed to be serious.

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It's a gas

Texas -- An East Texas grandma is gaining national celebrity for her quick thinking.

75 year old Mary was carjacked at a Tyler Brookshires gas station, and fought back by spraying the suspected carjacker with gasoline.

Police used the OnStar in Mary's SUV to track it down and arrest the suspect.

"It had nothing to do with courage it had to do with fury. I was so mad. I didn't think about consequences. Bill (Mary's husband) said I wish you would have thought about the inside of the car," says Mary.

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More "fire"

Jacksonville, Florida -- On the northwest side of town, a woman did exactly what some of the experts say you should do when faced with a would be carjacker.

She got out of her car when a teenager came up in a hooded sweat jacket and tried to take it. The woman screamed "FIRE!"

Some experts say screaming "FIRE" can often times get attention more quickly. The guy took off.

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Bottled up

Kansas -- A 21-year-old woman fought to escape a kidnapper who also tried to steal her car.

About 10:30 a.m. Saturday the woman was putting air in her car's tires at a convenience store in Kansas City when a man hit her over the head, forced her into the vehicle and began driving.

The woman beat her assailant with a bottle until he crashed the vehicle into a tree. He ran away. The woman suffered minor injuries.

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He could handle it

Well, I guess this guy should thank his older twin brothers for all the times he had to fight them both :-)
And it shows that it is vital in functional self-defense training to train also against more than one opponent.

Story:
Florida -- Getting carjacked, mugged or beaten up by total strangers at 11:00 in the morning outside a government building in Jacksonville isn't something most people worry about.

But it happened to a mortgage broker outside the Supervisor of Elections building, where his brother works.

"One guy got in the passenger side of the vehicle. He choked me in my truck. And the other one was trying to take my keys," the intended victim said.

He says he's got twin older brothers, and he's never fought them one on one. So when two came in for the attack at once, he says he could handle it.

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Step on it

This woman used a great escape tactic.
That said, it is time to start thinking when you notice you're being followed.

Story:
Texas -- There have been 26 carjackings in Dallas since August 1, according to reports. Two of those attempts came less than a week apart in a quiet Northwest Dallas neighborhood.

On Tuesday, as one young mother approached an intersection, she noticed a metallic-colored sedan closely following her.

"I didn't know what to think, and I knew that my child was in the back seat asleep," the woman said.

Suddenly, the car cut her off at a stop sign, and the passenger jumped out with a bandana over his face.

"He pointed the gun right at my window, and pulled on the handle of my door, and ordered me out of the car," she said. "At that point, I just looked straight ahead and put my foot on the gas and hightailed it down the street."

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Knowing when to quit

There are times to fight and times to let it be - times to get going and times to pull out. Knowing the difference is crucial in any self-defense scenario.
One step short or one step to many, and you may end up on the receiving end of damage!

Story:
A motorist filling up at a gas station took a carjacker by surprise when she fought back in Orange County, Florida.

It was about 4 p.m. Sunday when a man demanded the keys to her van.

She struggled with the man over the keys and at one point was punched in the nose. After he wrestled the keys from her, the man started to drive away. The woman then jumped in.

According to the Sheriff's Office they drove to North Hastings and Huggins streets, where the man jumped out. The woman started to chase him when the man jumped back into the van and took off.

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Car safety

More than once I can't help but wonder where some people have their brains. Like this quote from a seminar in Scotland about car safety: Driving And Self-Defence.

"The most simple, and effective, tip is something I had never thought of, which is always to lock your car door when driving under 20mph. AcciDON'T estimates that more than 90% of car-jackings and smash-and-grabs can be avoided in this way."

Boy, of boy, where is one to begin...
Never thought of locking your car door...

I think I better go to sleep and let that one sink in!

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