NEW ORLEANS — At the corner of Baronne and Soniat Monday, there was a sense of shock in a mostly residential Uptown New Orleans neighborhood.
“It’s really uneasy,” said Chris Roos, who lives nearby.
According to the Hurstville Security District a woman was waiting to pick up her daughter from school around 11am when a dark-colored SUV with three men inside tried to block her in the parking spot. Home security video showed a dark-colored SUV going the wrong way on Baronne at the time it happened.
The security district’s supervisor, Carl Perilloux, says one of the three men tried to get in the mom’s passenger side door, but it was locked. She managed to drive off and so did the suspects.
“Police were here in about four minutes, so they jumped on it really quick,” said Roos.
Roos says it’s not just his neighborhood that suffers when crimes like this happen.
“What I feel like New Orleans is witnessing right now is a crime spree that’s really taken over the entire city,” said Roos.
New Orleans Police reported at least seven carjacking across the city over the weekend. Early Saturday morning police say two men attacked a man at a gas station on N. Claiborne Ave before stealing his vehicle. Later that night police say two men used a gun to carjack a woman getting gas on Elysian Fields Avenue.
Monday afternoon a police chase ended with the arrest of three juveniles accused of an armed carjacking earlier in the day. Police say it happened at Freret and Soniat Streets around 1pm when the juveniles used a gun to steal a woman’s black Mazda. Police say a white Volvo SUV used in the crime had been stolen the day before during another armed carjacking.
“With this type of crime, it’s a violent crime,” said Roos. “It’s one that can turn really quick into something really horrible.”
According to the city council’s crime dashboard, carjackings are up 26.6 percent compared to this time last year. Most other major crimes are up as well.
“The city; it’s extremely dangerous,” said one Uptown resident who didn’t want to be identified. “Middle of the day, they think nothing of smashing a window, trying to get in a car, or putting a gun on you.”
This resident still thinks about the day in 2008 when criminals tried to break in her home. She says she’s only seen crime get worse.
“I love the city but it’s so dangerous now, it’s not fun living here,” she said. “It’s not fun.”
Even with neighborhood security patrols, Roos says no matter where you live, be alert.
“I think it’s important the everybody in the neighborhood setting should have a neighborhood chat or text going on so that you all know what’s going on with each other, going on in the neighborhood, and as soon as these things happen, report them to NOPD.”