Car Jacking on Leon

[JayByrd]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-253432-1-.htm#253432

I bet the people who bought Ella condo's will love to hear this one

This took place at the east end of Leon, about five blocks from the Ella development. I assume the parking lot in question is that of the Accent Inn/Ricky's/Starbucks, or the Kelowna Inn/Mekong.

I live on this block of Leon. It tends to be pretty quiet, older homes and a few apartment buildings. A few creatures pass through at night, as they do everywhere.

While keeping your doors locked (even when parked) is never a bad idea, you're still vulnerable while getting in or out of your vehicle. If someone is determined to try something like this, they'll get their chance.

[vegas1500]

A lot of vehicles now unlock when you put them in park.

Usually adjustable in the control panel, even in the cheapest cars. Can set to both, all or just drivers door. Also usually can set to unlock when it goes in Park, or when key goes off.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

If you had a car lock CLUB on the seat beside you you could have whacked him with it..
Or the purse with a brick in it..
Honest Officer I was bringing a brick sample to show Hubby..

[Scrobins94]

Imagine if the child safety lock was on. Thief gets in and is trapped in the back of the vehicle. Hehe

[dirtybiker]

Just wide open throttle straight to the RCMP station with horn blaring.

The fact they are not buckled in is also to your advantage.

[normaM]

If you going to have a bat in your car make sure to have a catchers mitt too :/

[LANDM]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-253432-1-.htm#253432

I bet the people who bought Ella condo's will love to hear this one

Yeah, that is a real hotspot for carjackings in Kelowna. Glad I didn’t buy there.

[kgcayenne]

If you going to have a bat in your car make sure to have a catchers mitt too :/

I have a photography monopod with one helluva heavy head on it. It's one skookum piece of kit and I won't hesitate to use it. Good thing it has a quick-release plate, I don't want to damage my camera.

Hmmmm… maybe I should mount one of my disused old film bodies to it, those things are tanks too.....

[the truth]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-253432-1-.htm#253432

I bet the people who bought Ella condo's will love to hear this one

o look leon ave what a shocker--not--
but are mayor keeps saying downtown is safe hope it happens to him instead next time

[dle]

Who knew that the Hyundai Tucson was so popular

Just among the practical thieves. They like the roominess of it while being economical.

Everyday in the news there seems to be some type crime going down. I don't understand the guy that jumped in the back of his truck to try and stop the thief. Not worth risking your life over.

I agree it's dangerous but I could totally see it happening if it wasn't a newer vehicle, but in really good shape and good for a few years more. He might have known he wouldn't get enough $$ from ICBC to replace it with a comparable one, and maybe didn't have the money to put up for a replacement. Maybe he's a hardworking guy but without a truck to get to his job it is going to cause a big hardship. He was just trying to keep what was his. Now, he's out a truck, maybe can't afford a replacement.

Or maybe he's just tired of people taking what doesn't belong to them and getting away with it.

[JayByrd]

And amid all the gruesome tales of "what I would have done", let's please remember, this fellow got into the backseat of the vehicle...behind the driver. Not a great angle for the victim to use a weapon to fend him off. He also told her he was armed. Who knows if he actually was, or if he would have used a weapon, but a blunt instrument ain't faster than a bullet.

I realize the Castanet forums are full of ninjas, but this man got the drop on an unsuspecting person, who had no idea what he might do if she tried to fight back. So she let him take her (insured) vehicle and got away unharmed. She did the right thing.

[dle]

And amid all the gruesome tales of "what I would have done", let's please remember, this fellow got into the backseat of the vehicle...behind the driver. Not a great angle for the victim to use a weapon to fend him off. He also told her he was armed. Who knows if he actually was, or if he would have used a weapon, but a blunt instrument ain't faster than a bullet.

I realize the Castanet forums are full of ninjas, but this man got the drop on an unsuspecting person, who had no idea what he might do if she tried to fight back. So she let him take her (insured) vehicle and got away unharmed. She did the right thing.

....I was just thinking the same thing - I thought I read where he had a weapon of some sort and he certainly had the better positioning from the back seat in any kind of dust-up and could probably have done serious damage to her. Perhaps.....if she had a can of spray-something sitting on her seat she might have been able to give him a blast on her way out the door, and as another poster said, if she had the kiddie locks on, she might have been able to trap him in there til the cops came. Would they come for that kind of call? Surely to goodness that is still a crime around here......

She did the right thing just getting out of that situation - it wasn't going to go to her advantage at any point

[dogspoiler]

I find it amusing that some people think they have the solution for this incident. When someone is sitting behind you in a vehicle I would like to see how you would hit him with a bat or camera mount, providing you could reach it. It would however be very easy for him to grab your hair with one hand and reach around and slit your throat with the other.
Of course I understand that you are all highly trained in self defence, are prepared to act in a split second, and are brutally strong and fast, and most importantly have your affairs in order.
I think I would give him the vehicle.

[spooker]

I'm still missing something about how people are going on and on about Leon Ave and downtown ... this was at one of the motels at Gordon & Harvey ... it sounded like Leon happened to be a better cross-street to use for reference since that was on the other side of Gordon ...

Car jackings don't seem to be a big issue in Kelowna so it surprises me to see everyone jump on Ella and how a high-rise on Lawrence Ave is so dangerous ... a quick search for "car jacking" and "kelowna" pulls up the attempt in Jan 2018 in Rutland as the most recent, not even close to downtown Kelowna ...

[kgcayenne]

Yeah, I’ve only considered using my monopod in defence mode once, and that only because I was at my car getting my bags to go into work and it was in the trunk and I could’ve grabbed it in a second. The crackhead asked me for my money, I’d pretended I didn’t hear. The crackhead was too out of it to follow through with being a threat. Instead, I got in my car and called the Downtown on Call people to remove him from the property so I could go to work.