After a member of their store’s running program was carjacked, Lively Athletics co-owners and sisters Anne Pezalla and Kate Pezalla Marlin wanted to do something to help the women in their community stay safe.
That desire to give women the tools to protect themselves resulted in a clinic Sunday evening at their store in downtown Oak Park, featuring beat officer Traccye Love and village trustees Simone Boutet and Andrea Button.
The event began with a presentation from Love, who discussed when to call police, how to describe a suspect and vehicle, and carjacking prevention tips.
“These individuals are out here and they’re looking for people who are easy targets,” she said.
So far in 2018, four carjacking incidents have been reported in Oak Park, two of which were unsuccessful attempts, according to village spokesman David Powers. Information posted on Oak Park’s website states there were six vehicular hijackings reported from Nov. 28 to Jan. 15 in the village.
Love warned the women in attendance not to sit in unlocked parked cars on their cellphones, leave an unattended vehicle running or resist if someone attempts to carjack them. If there is a child or animal in the car someone is trying to steal, Love said the victim should ask to remove the person or pet. If the carjacker refuses, the victim should fight back and scream.
Love also detailed “the bump and steal,” which is when the driver behind the victim lightly hits the victim’s car in the hopes that the driver will leave his or her car with the key still in the vehicle, allowing a person in the offending vehicle to get in the victim’s car and drive away.
Button addressed the need to prepare children for the possibility of a carjacking.
“We need to have honest conversations with our kids,” she said.
Love touched on lessons she has taught her own children, such as how to describe a suspect and that cellphones should be kept out of sight when the vehicle the child is riding in is pulling over.
Boutet and Button discussed what the village is doing to address the carjacking issue. Actions so far include overtime and extra details for police, the creation of a task force, and village officials looking into reverse 911 systems, security cameras and lighting.
“The village board is taking the carjackings extremely seriously,” Boutet said.
One of the topics at the clinic that seemed to resonate most with attendees was when to call police.
“Everybody thinks that if you call 911, you’re bothering the police,” Boutet said.
But, according to Love, residents should call 911 for many reasons, such as seeing someone entering an unoccupied neighbor’s house; entering or leaving a business after closing; looking in parked cars; exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms; forcing entry to or tampering with a vehicle or building; or loitering near schools, parks or closed businesses.
Solicitors who check if a door is locked, or walk to the side or back of a home are also cause to call the police, as is hearing breaking glass, an explosive noise or a scream, Love said.
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Oak Park residents Sue Samuel and Suzanne Feeney, who attended the clinic, both found it reassuring to hear that it’s helpful for the police when people call in something suspicious, and that it doesn’t bother them.
“It validated that for me,” Samuel said.
Feeney, who has two young children, said it’s important to her that she be able to keep her kids safe.
“I just want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to protect them,” she said.
Anna Bybee-Schier is a freelancer.