Riverside police investigate attempted armed carjacking at gas station

RIVERSIDE - Riverside police are investigating an attempted armed carjacking at a Harlem Avenue gas station.

The incident took place at 6:09 a.m. Oct. 26 at the Amstar Service Station, 3346 South Harlem Ave., police said.

While en route, police were informed that the victim had fled to 36th and Maple in Berwyn to get away. Officers responded there first and then to the gas station.

The victim told police that she pulled into the gas station, pumped gas and made a phone call from her car. A gray van pulled up next to her, and a heavy-set woman jumped out of the vehicle holding a handgun in an attempt to carjack her.

The 57-year-old female victim of Lyons fought off the offender sustaining a hand injury. The offender jumped back into the van and fled southbound from the 3300 block of South Harlem.

The offender was described as about 5 feet 6 inches tall, had black hair and wore a nylon cap, a gray shirt with blue jeans. No description on the driver of the van is available, police said.

The victim was treated by paramedics but refused transportation to an area hospital.

Detectives were able to obtain some video of the incident from the gas station, but most of it was blocked by the pumps and other cars.

Through the video, police were able to see that the victim was being stalked. The van had circled the gas station several times, most likely looking for a lone individual in a car to hold up when she pulled up to the pumps. The attempted armed carjacking took place at pump 2, which is closest to Harlem Avenue, police said.

During their subsequent investigation, Riverside detectives learned that the vehicle used by the offender in the carjacking was stolen Oct. 25 from the 8000 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago.

The vehicle was recovered Oct 27 in the 7600 block of South Sangamon Avenue in Chicago. Police processed the car for evidence and it will be submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab.

“It was obvious that this offender was lurking in the area for what she considered to be an opportune time to car jack someone,” Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel said in a statement. “When the 57-year-old female pulled into the gas station in the early morning hours when it was still dark, pumped gas, and got back into her car, 9the offender) took the opportunity to attempt to steal the victim’s car at gunpoint.

“I would never recommend that a victim fight with an offender, especially those who are armed. In this case, the victim was lucky that the offender fled without firing any shots at the victim. While the victim sustained a minor hand injury, she was very fortunate that she did not sustain a more serious injury as a result of the attempted carjacking.”

Anyone that has information on this carjacking is asked to contact Riverside police at 708-447-2127 or send an anonymous email crime tip to crimetips@riverside.il.us