Crooks jump out of van stalking Tacoma street, steal a mom's car
TACOMA, Wash. - FOX 13 News spoke to a mom who says a group of men in a van pulled up to her home, tried to grab her, then stole her car.
It happened Tuesday morning around 5:40 a.m. on Park Avenue South in Tacoma.
FOX 13 News obtained surveillance video from a neighbor that shows a van driving down a street. The video shows the van pull up to a parked car, then you can hear the screams of a woman.
"I was scared. I was probably screaming so crazy out here," said Jenn.
It is Jenn’s voice you hear in the surveillance footage. She does not want her last name used.
She tells FOX 13 News she had her car running to warm up before she left for work. She says that is when she noticed the van stalking around her street.
Featured
Tacoma Police Union says police chief's reports of falling crime 'misleading'
The Tacoma Police Union sent a letter to the city council and police chief, claiming the most recent crime data presentation was misleading and far from the truth.
"It was just a heaviness because It was like they were creeping by. They were checking out the scenario. I don’t know what the plan was. It just felt wrong," she said.
Jen says her intuition was right. The van pulled right up to her.
"There was a slider part of the door opened up, and the passenger door opened up and he said, ‘hey come here.’ And I started screaming hysterically because I’m scared now, and I’m heading toward my stairs, and I feel him brush my arm, like I’m trying to be pulled back," said Jenn.
Seconds later the thieves took off in Jenn’s car.
However, the nightmare does not end there. Jenn says it only took moments for the thieves to take advantage of the purse she left in her car.
"I forgot I had the work card in there, and then I got an email saying, ‘Tacoma Discount World is being charged here $600.’ So, they shut it down," she said.
Jenn’s husband says the thieves actually used three different cards. Jenn also says because the car that the crooks stole is older, she does not think her insurance will cover it.
On top of all of these other issues, Jenn says someone broke into her family’s other car.
It is a lot to deal with, and the suspects are still out there. However, Jenn wants her story heard.
"Those people already know who I am. So, might as well be strong about it and just come forth, and I want to help other people be diligent in their surroundings and pay attention. I think of kids at bus stops. I think of all the things that we just all need to be, out, watch out for each other," she said.
Jenn tracked down where the crooks used her card and got pictures of one of the suspects from the store.
FOX 13 News has those pictures and is working with Tacoma Police to confirm the suspect, so that we can get the image out to the public.