Alarm grows over carjackings

Nearly half of all drivers now fear becoming carjack victims following a recent wave of attacks.

New figures reveal that 47 per cent of motorists worry that they could be targeted while driving.

The survey comes days after a driver was robbed of his £50,000 Mercedes S-Class car as he drove near the Watford Gap service area.

His car was bumped from behind, and when he stopped to exchange details, he was attacked and forced to hand over his keys.

In another recent case, robbers rampaged across London, bursting into homes and stealing the keys of highvalue cars. During four attacks in March, raiders threatened terrified victims with guns. And in January, estate agent Tim Robinson was stabbed to death as he was parking his £20,000 Audi car in Battersea.

These and other incidents have triggered alarm among drivers, especially women. Nearly 60 per cent of female drivers see carjacking as a threat compared to 40 per cent male drivers, the survey by NOP Automotive shows.

With carjacking attacks running at record levels, the survey shows that more drivers than ever now lock themselves in their cars as a precaution against attack - 34 per cent lock all doors before setting out on a journey, 20 per cent specifically to prevent forced entry.

The survey also suggests motorists are more anxious that their homes may be broken into by thieves hoping to obtain the keys to the family car.

More than half of motorists now fear they may be targeted in this way, as multiplying security devices on vehicles make it more difficult to steal them without access to the keys.

The threat of general violence on the road also worries many drivers.

According to the survey, which questioned 622 motorists, 32 per cent now say they "feel threatened" while driving on their own. Again, women are worst affected, with 46 per cent feeling threatened compared to 20 per cent of male drivers.

Recent Scotland Yard figures suggest there are about 1,200 carjacking cases per year in London, ranging from attacks on owners of expensive cars to teenagers being pulled from mopeds.

However, police have had difficulty compiling accurate figures as there is no offence of carjacking in Britain. Suspects are usually charged with aggravated vehicle theft, assault, or possession of an offensive weapon.

One senior officer recently told the Standard: "It is being done by a number of organised gangs who have a network of criminals who can sell the cars and change their identities. It is also done by opportunists who are only interested in stealing a car for a joyride or to thrash round on a pizza delivery boy's moped for an hour or two."

Officers say they fear the problem will worsen. Detectives estimate there are about six organised gangs operating in London and stealing cars to order, mainly for sale overseas or to criminals here. Police recently arrested and charged one such gang operating in London which is believed to have carried out 40 violent carjacks.