Cop Talk: Retired Schaumburg Officer Offers Carjacking Safety Advice

As carjacking crimes continue across the area, even drivers at upscale communities have been victimized. The key is to avoid trading your life for your car, according to retired North Shore police officer John Good, who has advice to prevent and survive a carjacking.

1. Your life is more valuable than your car. If you find yourself a victim of a carjacking, give up your car and leave the scene. Don't get into a verbal or physical altercation. Try and remember the carjacker's description and their vehicle's description. If there's a child in the car, tell the carjacker "my child is in the car" Call 9-1-1 immediately.

2. A thief's carjacking planning can begin even while you are driving. Thieves begin targeting a car in advance. Thieves will tail a car and often slow down or stop, to throw you off guard. Other common carjacking site areas, parking lots, garages, gas stations, ATM sites and intersections with stop lights. Some carjackers will even bump into the rear end of your car, and when you pull over and to exit your vehicle to assess the damages, the thief will jump into your car and drive off. Pay attention to anything that looks suspicious. Drive off and head for a nearby police station or mall security officer. Allow yourself room in traffic to move around other cars and avoid getting "boxed in."

3 Take precautionary measures anytime you use your car. It can be rewarding being a good Samaritan but sometimes you can put yourself in peril. If you see a stranded vehicles on the side of the road waving for help, it could actually be a carjacker hoping you will stop. Instead of stopping, call 9-1-1 and let police know the location of the vehicle and it make and model.

4. Make your car a less inviting target. Park in well-lit, visible areas. If you think you are being watched or followed, head back to a safe location. Do not sit in your car talking on the phone. That's an opportunity thieves look for. Lock your car windows and doors. It's a good idea to equip your vehicle with anti-theft or GPS for tracking.

John Good, is a Schaumburg resident and a retired 41-year veteran of a suburban police department, and the author of "Blood on the Badge."