A spate of carjackings in Gold Coast and West Town causes locals to be alarmed.

After a string of carjackings in Gold Coast and West Town, residents are attempting to raise awareness about an issue that affects how safe they feel in their everyday lives.

Nick Coombs, a Chicagoan who has lived near West Town for the past six years, said, “You expect to hear about carjackings and that’s a real problem for the neighborhood and the city.” In the past one or two years, we’ve seen an increase in not only carjackings, but also carjacking sprees, and it’s concerning for everyone involved, including the police and the community at large.

The Chicago Police Department reported this weekend’s carjacking spree occurred at four locations in Gold Coast and West Town.

The first carjacking occurred around 3 p.m. on January 6 in the 600 block of North Ashland Avenue. According to police, the victim was approached by two unknown offenders armed with firearms who demanded the keys to her vehicle. The suspects then allegedly took the victim’s keys, entered her vehicle, and fled. The victim suffered no injuries.

The second carjacking occurred on January 6 at 6:58 p.m. in the 400 block of North Armour Street. According to the police, two unidentified offenders armed with firearms approached the victim and demanded the keys to her vehicle. The perpetrators then stole the victim’s car keys, entered the vehicle, and fled. The victim suffered no injuries.

The third carjacking occurred in the 1400 block of North Dearborn Street at approximately 6:30 p.m. on January 6. The victim’s vehicle reportedly sustained a rear-end collision, and when the victim exited the vehicle, two offenders brandished handguns and demanded the victim’s keys and vehicle. The perpetrators made off with the victim’s vehicle. The victims remained unharmed.

The fourth carjacking occurred in the 1400 block of West Division Street at approximately 6:40 p.m. on January 6. According to the police, the victim was confronted by two armed offenders. The perpetrators demanded the victim’s possessions and then fled, but the vehicle was recovered in the same location. The victim suffered no injuries.

The Chicago Police Department stated that charges are pending in relation to this string of carjackings, but did not elaborate on how many offenders have been arrested or what charges are pending.