CLEVELAND (WJW) — Cleveland police are investigating a rash of armed carjackings, most involving luxury vehicles, from last week.
Two of the vehicles were also registered out-of-state, police records show.
Here’s where they happened:
West 117th Street
A 29-year-old man told police his 2017 Lincoln MKZ was taken at gunpoint at about 11 p.m. on Monday, April 17, from Gas USA along West 117th Street.
As he was walking back to his vehicle parked at the pump, he saw an unknown man and woman get out of a black Chevrolet Traverse which was parked at a nearby pump. The woman opened his door and jumped in. Meanwhile, the man leveled a gun at the owner.
“We need this car,” he man said, before getting in the driver’s seat and taking off.
An unknown third person followed behind, driving the Traverse the suspects arrived in. The group moved off toward Interstate 90 East.
The car, which is registered in Ohio, was later found on the street in the 1200 block of East 86th Street, according to the report.
Euclid Avenue
Three teenagers stole a BMW at gunpoint early Tuesday, April 18, in downtown Cleveland, according to a police report.
Police were dispatched just after 1:30 a.m. to a business in the 300 block of Euclid Avenue for the aggravated robbery, according to a Cleveland police report.
After the victim parked the 2012 BMW 335i outside the business along Euclid Avenue, he was approached by a teen boy armed with a handgun and wearing a dark-colored mask. The teenager held the gun to the back of the victim’s head and told him to “drop the keys.”
Another suspect then picked up the keys and drove away heading east on Euclid Avenue. There were three suspects total, including one suspect who drove their vehicle, believed to be a black Buick Regal, the victims told police.
The victim’s passenger told police she was pulled out from the car by one of the three suspects, who was also wearing a dark mask and carrying a handgun.
Both victims were unharmed and denied medical transport.
The stolen vehicle was registered in Illinois, according to the report.
East 9th Street
A woman told police her 2022 Chevrolet Traverse — registered in Michigan — was taken at gunpoint just before midnight on Tuesday, April 18, from a valet stand in the 2000 block of East 9th Street.
While she was removing luggage from the back seat, two men approached, pointing a gun at another victim and demanding the keys.
They took the car, which also had her purse containing cash and cards as well as a laptop, and fled south on East 9th Street. The vehicle was later spotted just after 11:30 p.m. along I-90 West. Officers noted the vehicle was involved in another incident after it was stolen.
Police later found the vehicle running and empty in the 1300 block of Ansel Road, with help from the vehicle’s OnStar system.