This browser does not support the Video element.
Community grieves at vigil for Marine veteran who died in carjacking attempt
Over 200 people gathered to grieve for 72-year-old Keith Cooper, a Vietnam veteran who died in a carjacking attempt near Hyde Park this week.
CHICAGO - New data from the Chicago Police Department shows that more than 5,000 cars have been stolen in the city so far this year.
Police said that as of August 2, 5,486 cars had been stolen in Chicago. That is up 5% over last year at this time. However, it's down significantly from 2017's stolen car numbers:
- From January 1 to August 2, 2021: 5,486
- From January 1 to August 2, 2020: 5,213
- From January 1 to August 2, 2019: 5,302
- From January 1 to August 2, 2018: 5,691
- From January 1 to August 2, 2017: 6,615
"Motor vehicle thefts" includes cars that are unoccupied (parked on the street, for example). Carjackings – when a car is taken by force – are a growing problem in Chicago, with 870 carjackings through July 22. That is up 53 percent from the same period in 2020.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Carjacking epidemic spills into the suburbs
The carjacking epidemic is spilling over into the suburbs as people are reporting a surge in violence in several towns.