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5 carjackings reported in St. Louis since Saturday

In all of the incidents, the victims said the suspects pulled out a weapon or indicated they were armed.

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police are investigating five carjackings since Saturday evening. In all of the incidents, the victims said the suspects pulled out a weapon or indicated they were armed.

On Saturday at 7:12 p.m., a 64-year-old man told police he got into a crash with the suspects at West Florissant and Thrush Avenue, across from the Bellefontaine/Calvary Cemetery in north St. Louis.

While talking with the suspects about compensation for the crash, the victim said the man indicated he had a firearm and demanded the keys to the victim’s 2017 silver Jeep Cherokee. The man and woman hopped in the SUV and drove off, leaving behind their 2008 Dodge Charger. The victim wasn’t hurt and the investigation is still open.

Just after midnight Sunday, a 21-year-old man said he was carjacked while pumping gas and then driven around in his own vehicle in the Kingsway West neighborhood.

The victim told police he was filling up his car at the ZX Service Station at 1620 Union Boulevard when the suspect walked up and tried to sell him narcotics. When he refused to buy anything, the victim said the suspect indicated he had a gun and said he was robbing him.

The suspect got in the 2006 Chevy Impala and demanded that the victim get in the passenger seat. After driving around for a short time, the suspect dropped off the man a couple blocks away. The suspect took off in the Impala. The victim wasn’t hurt.

At 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a 48-year-old man reported he had been carjacked in Fairground Park in north St. Louis. The victim said he was sitting in his 2015 Infiniti Q70 when the suspects walked up, pulled out guns and demanded the car. They drove off with his car. The victim wasn’t hurt.

Judy Ellis has lived across from the park for 40 years. She's seen the park go from a family destination to a place where children don't play like they used to.

"From gunshots to people just being hurt and carjackings and all that, I don't think people are safe. Especially not children," said Ellis.

At 10:35 p.m. Sunday, two women said they were forced out of their car along the popular area of Washington Avenue in St. Louis' Downtown West neighborhood. The women said they were sitting in their car at Tucker Boulevard when a suspect walked up to their vehicle with a gun. The women told police they were forcible taken out of the car, and the suspects drove off. The vehicle was found several hours later in St. Louis County. A 19-year-old man was taken into custody.

The most recent carjacking was reported Monday around lunchtime in Tower Grove East. Officers responded to the 3400 block of Connecticut Avenue at 11:29. A 42-year-old woman said her vehicle was taken at gunpoint. The vehicle was found a short time later and a suspect was taken into custody. The woman wasn't hurt.

St. Louis Metropolitan police received 248 reports of carjackings in 2018 through the end of September. The police department does not have a year-over-year comparison for carjackings because data collection began in January of this year.

Judy Ellis is a woman of faith. She says the crime in the city's become too much for her to handle alone.

"I pray all the time."

On her home is a cross made of Christmas lights. It's an outward symbol of peace and blessing to her community.

"I hope that other people notice it," Ellis said.

And by noticing, she hopes those people will stop the violence and help turn the city around.

"I really believe that it's going to get better," said Ellis. "I really do."

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