Back to back carjackings connected, one victim tells police he was followed home

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) – In the span of a couple of hours Tuesday morning two people were carjacked at gunpoint. Police found the first stolen car at the second carjacking location.

The first carjacking was in the city. The second in Gates and the second victim told police he was followed by the suspects on his way home from work.

At 4:30 Tuesday morning, Rochester police say a man was leaving a friend’s apartment on Resolute Circle when he was jumped by three men.

"He reported to us that all three males pulled out handguns," Lt. Greg Bello said.

A short time later, that stolen car was found six miles away in Poplar Gardens apartment complex on Spencerport Road in Gates, the site of the second carjacking. In this case, the victim told Gates police when he got to his building two men jumped him, pistol-whipped him, and stole his car.

Brean: "So not much a description of them, just that they were young?"

Lt. Matthew Pascarella, Gates PD: "Correct, seemed like young males."

Brean: "Like teenage young?"

LT: "Probably lates teens, early 20s."

"And nobody is targeted specifically. These are random victims," Lt. Pascarella said.

Police are concerned that the trend of carjackings that happened last spring is happening again. And the suspects are young.

In March, RPD arrested a 15-year-old, two 16-year-olds, and a 17-year-old for carjackings.

READ MORE: ‘Show me your hands! Get on the ground!’ 5 carjackings in four and a half hours in Rochester

The victim in Gates told police he was followed.

"So if find this is happening to you, what do you suggest people do?" I asked.

"I would tell my family or my friends to not go to their residence. I would tell them to continue to drive," Lt. Pascarella said. "Try to make contact with police while you’re driving. I know we all try not to use our cell phones while we’re driving but this is an emergency situation."

And police say drive until you can hook up with police or go to a place where you know there are lots of people.
If someone taps your car with theirs to get you to stop or tells you your getting a flat tire, those are red flags.
Keep driving and call 911.