Violent carjackings—even in trendy neighborhoods -- have surged in Chicago, where gun violence has generated unflattering national headlines, the Chicago Tribune reported.
As of Oct. 18, there were 661 carjackings nearly surpassing the 663 carjackings recorded in all of 2016, according to the paper. Last year's number was nearly double the 339 in 2015 and the most since 2009.
Carjackings started to spike last year when homicides and shootings skyrocketed and crimes in virtually every other category rose, the paper reported.
The causes are unclear, according to the Tribune, but some officers felt the furor over the video showing police shoot teen Laquan McDonald 16 times led to many officers becoming less aggressive on the street, which in turn emboldened criminals.
The Harrison police district on the West Side, historically one of the city’s most violent areas for carjackings, increased from 69 in 2016 to 82 so far this year.
