The Wilmette Police Department issued a harrowing warning Wednesday to residents after an "increase of daytime and early evening car thefts" at gas stations in the northern suburbs.
"Over the last couple of weeks, there has been an increase of daytime and early evening car thefts from North suburban gas stations," the warning, posted to Wilmette PD's Facebook and Twitter pages said. "These offenders are targeting unlocked vehicles while the victims are pumping gas or are inside the convenience store. Be aware of your surroundings and please report any suspicious activity to the police."
The warning from Wilmette police comes one day after Glenview police say a driver was carjacked in broad daylight at while pumping gas at Costco.
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Glenview Police say they were called just before 12 p.m. Wednesday to a Costco Gas Station in the 2900 block of Patriot Boulevard for a report of a "vehicular hijacking."
Police said the owner of a Mercedes sedan was outside their vehicle adding fuel when they saw a man in all black clothing and a black ski mask enter the driver's side door, start the car, and start to pull away.
The owner tried to re-enter the through the front passenger door, but ultimately fell and hurt their leg.
The Mercedes was driven out of the parking lot in an unknown direction, authorities said, and was last seen being driven on Interstate 94 "at a high rate of speed."
The owner of the vehicle was taken to Glenbrook Hospital for medical treatment.
According to officials, the carjacking is still under investigation by Glenview police, and no one was in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier this year, the Niles Police Department told NBC Chicago it received reports of three stolen vehicles and two attempted car thefts at the Costco gas station located at 7311 N. Melvina Ave. between July 29 and Sept. 25.
Each vehicle was taken while the driver was pumping gas with the engine running, according to police.
"I just saw that somebody jumped in my car," Niketa Patel told NBC Chicago in November, of an carjacking that took place at a Niles Costco in November. "He has a ski mask on. So, I was holding the driver’s side door, and I was waving my head, don’t do it. But that guy, he wasn’t scared."
Costco did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment.
