Video shows attempted carjacking in Ramsey County; sheriff’s office issues crime alert

A home security camera caught the harrowing moments of a carjacking attempt when two suspects armed with guns tried to steal separate cars from two women who were leaving a Ramsey County residence around 5 a.m. last week.

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office issued a crime alert after there were more than 20 carjackings reported in the county last week.

Ramsey County Undersheriff Mike Martin told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS an uptick in carjackings has continued despite the recent cold snap. He said the suspects in most of those thefts have been armed and the majority of them are in their mid-to-late teens.

“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of carjackings and the number of cases involving weapons, too,” Martin said. “And the suspects are also shooting at people, and in some cases, if they’re not shooting at people, they are shooting their guns in the air to intimidate and frighten their victims.”

Martin told KSTP the suspects in the carjackings are using similar methods, and he also offered some advice to the general public to help people avoid becoming a victim of a carjacking.

“They tend to jump people as they are getting into or out of their cars, and there usually is more than one suspect,” Martin said. “The best thing people can do is to not leave their car running, be aware of their surroundings and keep their doors locked when stopped, and the only time someone should drive away is if it is safe to do so and then immediately call 911.”