As of the end of February, 210 suspected hijackers had been arrested as a result of an anti-car theft operation by the Chicago Police Department.
According to department superintendent David Brown, the number of thefts in February decreased by 35% compared to January, although heavy snowfalls in February could also have affected this data. The department recently increased its anti-theft team by 40 people and has taken steps to strengthen police ties with urban communities.
Car theft has recently become a serious problem in Chicago. Last year, 1415 thefts were registered, which is 135% more than in the previous year. If in January 2020 there were 77 thefts, then in January of this year there were 218. Most of the hijackers are teenagers and young people aged 15 to 20 years. And this fact causes an ambiguous reaction of townspeople – especially mothers – to the intensification of the police’s struggle against this evil. “Who are these hijackers? Mostly black children, says the college teacher. – And I have four children, and two of them are boys. I understand that police action is necessary, but I fear that confrontation with the police could lead to casualties. “
Newspaper headline:
Car thieves