WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. – A driver was robbed at gunpoint in Webster Groves Wednesday morning in what police are calling another bump-and-run carjacking.
The robbery happened around 7:30 a.m. on South Elm Avenue.
Police claim a car struck a driver from behind, then three people wearing masks pulled a gun on the driver and stole his black Dodge Caravan.
The suspects left the vehicle they used in the accident and carjacking. That vehicle had been reported stolen from St. Louis City.
“It’s a new way of thinking. I never heard of that. It’s kind of scary to people like us,” said Webster Groves resident Adam Compton.
Corporal Dallas Thompson, Missouri State Highway Patrol, advised drivers to be aware of their surroundings and, most importantly, to trust their gut.
“If something don’t feel right, it probably isn’t,” he said. “Go ahead and get yourself in a safe (place) and dial 911. Report the incident, let law enforcement get there, and do the investigation.”
It’s nothing new. It’s an old scheme where thieves cause a minor fender bender. When the victims get out of their vehicle to check the damage, they find a person from the other driver pointing a gun at them.
Authorities believe drivers should heed their warning.
“When something like that happens for the older community, they don’t know what is going on,” Compton said. “They normally do the proper thing and get out and giving insurance cards, so it can be bad for them.”