I’m a former TV news producer, and I have watched every single episode of Dateline and 48 hours that has been aired. I am ultra aware of my surroundings and suspicious of pretty much everyone. I mean, I once thought a dark van following me around the neighborhood some mornings during my run was a mad man trying to kill me. Until one day I saw him throw a newspaper out of his window. {Yep, it was the newspaper delivery guy!} So, when I had a close call with a possible creep, I realized anyone can be the victim of a crime. Let me explain…
Tuesday afternoon at 5pm, I was headed to our Houston Moms Blog Mom’s Night Out event in Rice Village. I exited 59 at Kirby and was in the left turn lane. A guy pulled up to the right side of my jeep in a maroon car and motioned for me to roll down the window. I did. He said he had been trying to flag me down for 5 miles and something flew off my jeep tire and hit his car. He said he wasn’t worried about his car, but that tire was wobbling and about to fall off and I shouldn’t drive any more. He said something like, “This is going to be a tragedy for you or for someone else if that tire falls off.”
I told him, “Thank you – I’ll take care of it.” He then went on to say he was a mechanic and that he could check it out for me in that parking lot right up there {as he pointed to a gas station parking lot up ahead}. I politely told him no thank you and that I was sorry that a piece had hit his car. The light turned green…and we both drove off. {I did notice he had paper plates on his car. Not sure if that means anything.}
I turned left on Kirby and drove to a Firestone Tire a few blocks down. I got out and looked at the tire. Nothing wrong. I went inside to get a professional to glance at it for me. And this is when I started to think maybe this guy was lying to me. Honestly, he was so nice and concerned – it hadn’t even crossed my mind that he might have been trying to deceive me. So once inside, I told the store worker what happened. He told me there is a carjacking scam going around Houston and this is the exact method that has been used to get people out of their cars. Seriously? He came out to check the tire just in case. But just as I suspected, there was nothing wrong. I left feeling lucky … and a little duped.
The more I thought about what happened, the more it really bothered me.
Honestly, if I would have been in the lane to go straight, I probably would have just pulled over really quickly and let that stranger look at my tire. ME. This guy was a nice looking man with a button up shirt on and great hair. He seemed cordial, concerned, and even worried about my safety. He did not seem like a “carjacker.” Whatever that is.
Scary.
The Houston Police Department has a long list of things you can do to prevent yourself from being the victim of a vehicle theft, or carjacking. But all the prevention in the world can only prepare you so much when you only have a second to think about what to do in that moment.
I’m sharing my story in hopes that this will serve as a warning to each of you. Be on guard. Even when it’s rush hour. Even when you’re in one of the busiest parts of Houston. Even when the nice looking businessman wants to “help” you out. Be on guard…All.The.Time.
My story ended safely. Thank goodness. But I’m sure that others haven’t been so lucky, and they have been left without their car, their belongings, or worse. So please help us spread the word about this awful scam that is happening right here in our city. Tell your friends, tell your family members, tell the people in your community. And please — be on guard, mamas.
Carry a gun as a very last resort. My wife has my kids with her most of the time. I’m a little less worried to know that she can use lethal force to defend herself and my children. It’s not nice to think about, but it’s better than having a car full of your children disappear.
I have seriously considered this option for years now. Just makes me nervous with the kiddos.
Luckily, I’m the daughter of a mechanic, so I am not gullible enough to fall for that. I KNOW when there is something wrong with most aspects of my car by the way it handles, unusual sounds, etc. Women need to educate themselves about their vehicles, seriously. That alone will save many lives and prevent many unfortunate incidents.
Right?! Good point. I never felt the tire wobbling, which clearly it would have been doing if it was about to fall off.
You mean he wasn’t a scary black man? Maybe the advice should be tat you get taken advantage of when you have a narrow view of who could harm you. A black person asks you for the time and you lock your car doors. Your car doors should always be locked.
This was not an attempted carjacking but it is a well-known scam. They would have “fixed” your tire and then demanded money for the help.
There are many examples of this scam around Houston and the country you can easily find by googling.
interesting. Scary either way. Thanks for the comment!
OMG, this happened to me a couple of weeks ago on Westheimer. Some guys in an Escalade pulled up beside me honking their horn and yelling that my tire was about to fall off. They got behind me and followed me, I was almost home and didn’t want them following me to my house so I pulled into a store (right up to the front door) got out and locked my doors. didn’t see anything wrong with my tire. They guy wanted to look at my tire and tighten my lug nuts. I Told him not to touch my car, I didn’t see anything wrong with my tire plus I would have felt it shaking cause I just got off the freeway. I got in my car and left. He ran in the store. There were 3 guys and a kid in the truck. Seemed weird that’s why I wouldn’t let them touch my car.
I was thinking that too!! Like, I would have felt it shaking. It’s scary to think what would have happened. Glad you are OK!!