Garbriela Putek was carjacked in January in Detroit.
The good news: Carjackings are down significantly in Detroit.
The bad news: There's still far too many.
Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press reports that six years ago, the city had 1,231 carjackings — more than three a day. Last year, the number dropped to 701.
Still, Baldas points out that the 701 was still the highest known number of carjackings for any major city in the country.
Meanwhile, the numbers keep dropping.
As of Nov. 17 of 2014, Detroit recorded 485 carjackings, more than one a day, down 31% from last year.
The latest figures are more than three times more than the 160-some carjackings New York City had last year.
Amy Haimerl also reports on the situation at Crain's., noting that thefts are down because of police work and "because cars are more sophisticated. Newer models won't start without a key, making hot-wiring vehicles almost impossible."
"As technology has changed in the cars, it's become more difficult for thieves to steal cars," said Sgt. Patrick Saunders with the Wayne State University Police Department who has been on assignment with Detroit Police Department's auto theft division for the past two years.
One of this year's victims was Gabriela Putek, who told WDIV in January that she was carjacked while with her two children in the parking lot of the Dollar Store on Vernor Highway.
She told WDIV that a gunman approached.
"He was right there at the window and he pointed the gun at me, knocked on the window and told me to get the 'F' out of his car before he kills me," Putek told WDIV. The man made off with the car and
She and her children were not physically harmed.
The Freep writes:
If there is good news here, it's that the number of carjackings has dropped significantly — almost by half in five years — due in large part to a coordinated effort by police, the FBI and federal prosecutors.
