Car thieves use minor accidents to steal cars

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Thieves targeting women are bumping their cars, then stealing their cars when the women get out to check for damage. Channel 2's Carl Willis spoke with one victim who said she was followed before her car was hit.

"He slammed me on the back of my car," victim Mecca Keller said.

When Keller's car was hit, her first instinct was to check and see if there was any damage.

"I got out of the car to see what's going on with my car, and I thought he was going to get out of the car too," Keller said.

The driver stayed behind the wheel while Keller stood at the rear bumper, she didn't realize what was happening.

"The passenger of the other vehicle gets out runs around the front of the car and drives away in their car," DeKalb County Police Maj. Steve Fore said.

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Police say car thefts like this happened twice in a week.

"I was terrified. I thought I was going to get shot or something," Keller said.

DeKalb County police say thieves stole a woman's Cadillac Escalade on Norman Road in Stone Mountain Wednesday, and took Keller's Infiniti edan Friday in Tucker.

The women may have been followed by a black Ford Crown Victoria.

"We do believe it's probably going to be the same suspects perpetrating the crime due to the way the incidents took place, the general description and the close proximity of both incidents," Fore said.

Police say you should immediately dial 911 and move to a populated area after you've been hit or even if you feel you're being followed.

Police say you can communicate with the other driver that police are coming.

"There's no need for you to get out," Fore said.

Cox Media Group