Carjack horror for brave teen
A YOUNG girl bravely fought off a carjacker after he brazenly jumped into the vehicle she was a passenger in.
Alex Vicary, 16, was sitting in the back seat of the car at Coomera City Centre at Upper Coomera while two friends ran inside to collect food just before 9pm on Wednesday.
As she waited, with the heater on and keys in the ignition, a man jumped into the driver’s seat and tried to take off.
A scuffle broke out as the man tried to grab Alex, with the teen managing to break free and get out of the car.
“It was scary, it was really scary, he tried to grab me and I just got out of there,” she said.
Friend Teegan Bradbury, 28, was shocked to see her car driving away as she walked out of the shops.
“I was just in complete shock, Alex came running up to me telling me someone’s stolen the car,” she said. “It’s the kind of stuff you’d hope would only happen in movies.
“I don’t know for sure but I guess maybe he saw us both get out, thought we’d left the car running and he saw the perfect opportunity.”
Police are yet to find Ms Bradbury’s car, which was only a month away from being paid off. There were also laptops and iPads in the vehicle.
Despite the loss Ms Bradbury said she was just grateful Alex was safe.
“She’s so lucky the child lock wasn’t on, if it was she wouldn’t have been able to make an easy escape,” Ms Bradbury said.
Ms Bradbury said she was now much more risk-aware.
“I’ve heard stories and it does happen – I think it happens everywhere – but in a shopping complex where it’s all lit up and there’s people around I definitely wouldn’t expect it,” she said.
“Some of the restaurants were still open and I parked directly under a security camera so it felt safe.”
Ms Bradbury’s dad, Tim, said he was alarmed the girls, including their lodger Alex, were put in danger.
“It is frightening to think this sort of thing happens … there’s been times when I’ve left my wife and baby in the car to go pay for fuel and you ask yourself if we’re getting to the point where we can’t do that any more,” he said. “I always say to my kids don’t park in dark places, always park under a light … but this makes me think it’s not safe anywhere.”
Mr Bradbury said he was also concerned for the many Pplate drivers who could be potential victims in the area.
Police are still hunting for the man, who is believed to be in his late teens or early 20s and was wearing a baseball cap and hoodie at the time.
Anyone who sees the car – a 2014 white Kia Rio with registration TCB 91 – is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.