A concerned mom reached out to me after hearing about the following incident. She is wondering what to do? How to get her child and self into the car safely.
“I was in a parking lot of a very nice shopping center. The armed robber approached me after I buckled my child into his car seat. She got in my car beside him and told me to drive. She made me go to an ATM and take out money, then had me drive around. While I was driving she went through my purse and car. After a while she had me stop, took my keys and threw them into the grass, then ran off.”
Here are a few things to consider in order to reduce the attacker/robber targeting you.
- Start by being fully aware of your surroundings, is there anyone in proximity, either on foot or in a vehicle?
- Are you being followed out of the store?
- Have your keys ready.
- Only unlock the door you are utilizing to put your child in the car.
- Keep the keys in your pocket and lock the child in the car.
- If you are approached, push the panic button on your key and/or throw the keys far away.
- Always keep all doors locked. Lock them as soon as the door is closed. Keep it locked after parking, until the moment you open it to get out.
- Perform a visual sweep around your car before opening the door to get out.
Preventing the attacker/robber from getting into your vehicle is the safest option for your child(ren). The majority of the time, attackers/robbers are looking for easy targets. Parking lots are one of the top three locations where women are attacked. Be alert, be prepared and walk with a purpose to help reduce the chance of being targeted.
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