DETROIT – It’s been a rough couple of nights for Detroit’s Lyft drivers as thieves have carjacked two drivers on overnight runs, and the Detroit Police Department is on high alert.
Detroit police found one of the stolen cars in the City of Detroit and are still looking for the other.
These are not quiet little stick-ups either. The drivers say they were told to get out of the car at gunpoint, and at least one of the incidents turned violent.
It was 3 a.m. overnight Thursday (June 9) morning when a Lyft driver received a call to come to the location of Gallagher and East Robinwood streets for a fare.
The area is sparsely populated with minimal street lights, as few people live there.
When the male driver arrived, he discovered two men waiting for him, but they didn’t get in the car. Instead, they held him at gunpoint, ordered him from the vehicle, and then took off.
A similar story happened Wednesday about five miles from the area in the video player above.
Detroit Auto Theft Division Commander Lt. Clive Stewart told local 4 why these kinds of carjacking’s worry them.
“A lot of these crimes, they tend to escalate after if the person doesn’t give up the car immediately or whatever it’ll escalate where shots are fired, or someone can actually get injured,” said Stewart.
Stewart suggests ride share drivers be extra vigilant now.
“Mabe have an alternative location to pick people up, go to a well-lit area, or just turn it down,” Stewart said. “It’s not worth the money. It is not worth it. Trust me, going to locations and getting robbed. We’ve got strict orders from the chief. We need to find these guys and try to put an end to it asap. We’re working around the clock to get it done.”