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Carjackings
House Bill 3699 (Martwick/Hastings)
• House Bill 3699 would allow Metropolitan Enforcement Groups, or cooperatives of law enforcement, to work together to target carjacking.
• The measure would allow the Metropolitan Enforcement Groups to receive state grants to assist in enforcement.
• A person commits vehicular hijacking when he or she knowingly takes a motor vehicle from the person or the immediate presence of another by the use of force or threatening the imminent use of force.
o Carjacking is currently a Class 1 felony, punishable by 4-15 years imprisonment. If a gun is used in the carjacking, the person is guilty of a Class X felony, punishable by 15 years up to natural life imprisonment.
• House Bill 3699 would provide additional resources to law enforcement to target and capture these offenders.House Bill 3772 (Aquino/Peters)
• House Bill 3772 would provide protections for victims of carjackings who receive red light or speed camera violations after their vehicle has been hijacked.
• Under the measure, if a person receives a citation due to one of these systems, the court or hearing officer would be able to consider whether the vehicle was hijacked before the violation occurred or not under the control of or possession of the vehicle at the time of violation.
• Under current law, any county or municipality can charge administrative, towing and storage fees if a person’s car is impounded. However, under House Bill 3772, those fees would be waived if an owner submits proof that a report demonstrating the vehicle was hijacked was filed with law enforcement in a timely manner.
…Adding… Press release…
Last year alone, more carjackings were reported in Chicago than in any other city. To address the increase of the crime and provide relief to victims, Illinois Senate Democrats are spearheading legislation which they outlined at a press conference Tuesday.
“When someone is a victim of a carjacking, they are already dealing with a traumatic experience that could be worsened by burdensome fees and tickets they weren’t even at fault for,” said State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago). “This measure is about ensuring economic security for folks who have already been victimized.”
Aquino’s House Bill 3772 would provide protections for victims of carjackings who receive red light or speed camera violations after their vehicle has been hijacked. Under the measure, if a person receives a citation due to one of these camera violations, the court or hearing officer would be able to consider whether the vehicle was hijacked before the violation occurred or the victim not under the control of or possession of the vehicle at the time of violation.
Additionally, if a person’s car was towed following a carjacking, the associated fees would be waived if they submit their police report.
According to a January report from CNN, cities around the country have seen an increase in the rate of carjackings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,800 carjackings were reported in Chicago last year, according to data released by police departments to CNN.
Chicago’s 2021 tally was the most on record over the last 20 years. Carjackings had been steadily declining in the city after 2001, hitting a low of 303 in 2014 but began to tick upward before skyrocketing to 1,400 in 2020 following the onset of the pandemic. Last year saw more than five times as many carjackings as in 2014.
State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is sponsoring House Bill 3699, which would allow Metropolitan Enforcement Groups, or cooperatives of law enforcement, to work together to target carjacking. Further, it would allow the Metropolitan Enforcement Groups to receive state grants to assist in enforcement, and provide additional resources to law enforcement to target and capture these offenders.
“The uptick in carjackings is a disturbing trend,” Martwick said. “But because of the nature of the crime, suspects aren’t often caught. By allowing law enforcement officers to put their heads together to decipher ways to tackle the ongoing issue, we are a step closer to getting to the bottom of the issue.”
Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus hope to hear the bills on the Senate floor before the planned April 8 adjournment date.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:13 pm
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lol
Comment by Subtle Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:15 pm
amazing all the things that could happen in an election year.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:19 pm
Golly jeepers. I’m sure prospective carjackers are quaking in their sneakers.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:24 pm
I guess upping armed Carjacking to Class X felony, punishable by 15 years up to natural life imprisonment is a good start - but will Carjacking be an offense that is exempt from the bail abolition that limits pretrial incarceration since only individuals arrested on qualifying charges will be detained pretrial and only if the judge determines.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:26 pm
This will really change the calculation made by all those juvenile carjackers before they take cars.
Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:28 pm
Very good proposals, to invest more in fighting this terrible and frightening crime, and give relief to those who face violations and vehicle impoundment as carjacking victims. May they come to fruition.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:30 pm
A huge percentage of these carjackings are committed by juveniles. Unless prosecutors start seeking discretionary transfer to adult court, and the courts start granting them, the revolving door will continue.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:31 pm
For the love of God…..this is what they came up with? For real??!!! Not one thing in this will actually discourage carjackings. You need a task force focused solely on getting these folks off the street. No bail….no pleading down.,. No excuses. As leader Lightford can attest, this threat hangs over everyone in Cook County. Get serious about it or get out of the way.
Comment by Raising Kane Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:32 pm
Anyone carjacking should do 20 years in jail.. minimum.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:32 pm
===• House Bill 3699 would allow Metropolitan Enforcement Groups, or cooperatives of law enforcement, to work together to target carjacking.
• The measure would allow the Metropolitan Enforcement Groups to receive state grants to assist in enforcement.===
How is the first bullet point different than the carjacking task forces that already exist? But I am obvious pro more money for multi-jurisdictional car jacking task forces.
The politics behind the penalty enhancers for carjackings with guns are going to be interesting to watch. Good for Rep. Martwick though.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:33 pm
Won’t matter unless there are judges willing to impose the harsher sentences.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:34 pm
All the shrieking about sentencing without a peep about the fact we’re already the most heavily incarcerated country on earth. We’ve tried your way and it isn’t working. Yet you have the gall to mock legislators for not doing more failed strategies? You people don’t want to solve anything. You want to appear to be doing something for social media likes and votes
Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:37 pm
One of the largest nothingburgers I have seen. If anything, it tells carjackers to carry on, we still aren’t going to do anything meaningful about this problem.
Comment by Captain Obvious Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:41 pm
don’t forget these criminals would lose their FOID cards.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:46 pm
===As leader Lightford can attest===
She was at the press conference in support.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:55 pm
This will make a great Richard Irvin mailing and ad.
Comment by Disappointed Female Suburban Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:57 pm
It does continually feel as though these bills, while trying to answer critics, rightly and/or politically, and place a marker, acceptable or not.
In reality, is the theater here including Republicans being against this too, but like ethics bills, can one be unimpressed but find themselves voting against bills designed to frame others as “weak”, say to ethics or crime?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 2:59 pm
===This will make a great Richard Irvin mailing and ad.===
Really.
How so?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:00 pm
There doesn’t seem to be a lot there. I hope the metropolitan interworking is going to involve putting out of area cops posing as normal civilians at gas stations, restaurants, etc. to act as bait and catch carjackers. I think technology is a better long term bet (e.g. a beacon embedded in the metal in the frame itself) that can quickly help locate jacked cars or disable them. Punishment terms won’t really help until the likelihood of getting caught goes up.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:02 pm
==In reality, is the theater here including Republicans being against this too, but like ethics bills, can one be unimpressed but find themselves voting against bills designed to frame others as “weak”, say to ethics or crime?==
Crucially, I think the big difference between ethics and this is how the average voters sees each issue. The average voter looks at the GOP, sees the sycophancy towards Trump and his corruption and sees the GOP as bad on ethics. Therefore, when you hit them for bad government, it sticks in voters minds.
However, I do not believe voters will be as quick to blame the GOP for “weak on crime.” Democrats are the ones weak on crime, they even admitted they went to far with all those laws last year. Now they’re scrambling to fix it (This rationale is wrong, but I think JBP has done all he can to encourage it for some reason).
When the GOP didn’t pass ethics reform voters blamed them for covering for Trump (again, not true, but it’s how the news gets digested). I do not see how the GOP gets flack for tough on crime from the average voter.
I might be wrong, but I think it’s a huge, stupid gamble on the Dems part.
Comment by SWSider Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:04 pm
=== I do not see how the GOP gets flack for tough on crime from the average voter.===
None of this, not any part of any of these bills, is designed to repair or rehabilitate Dems, and frankly I didn’t expound on any of these bills, especially on their merits.
These last ditch bills are designed to give a political response to the inevitable hits coming after July 1st.
My comparisons specifically to ethics, I’m constantly told by the IPI, Edit Board of the Trib, and grifters of the Dem ethics issues… I don’t think Dems have a foothold against Republicans on ethics until “anyone but Irvin” wins that primary.
Again, if you want a discussion to the merits on these recent bills, those aren’t the arguments I’m making.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:13 pm
I think this is the best that can be done at the state level, honestly. Carjackers–assuming that they’re mostly teenagers looking to showboat in rivals’ territories, which is what I’ve seen in the news–aren’t going to be deterred with harsher penalties. (Sorry, guys.) Smoothing some roadblocks to investigations and making sure victims aren’t saddled with indignities like impound fees is probably the most useful thing that can be done by lawmakers.
Comment by Benjamin Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:21 pm
===This will really change the calculation made by all those juvenile carjackers===
Got some news for you, genius: Juvenile carjackers don’t usually read the newspapers anyway. They don’t care.
The MEG piece is important because it should help facilitate cooperation between jurisdictions.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:22 pm
Rich I get she was there but is she saying these measures would have stopped her carjacking? This is actually laughable….maybe they think it helps them out of a political pickle but it won’t. This is a real disaster for Cook County and these half measures do virtually nothing to improve things.
Comment by Raising Kane Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:22 pm
More police helicopters pls to track these carjackers and can also use to track the retail thieves in their getaway car. One chopper apparently isn’t enough.
Comment by Jose Abreu's Next Homer Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:28 pm
adult criminals know that juveniles can be used because the penalties are lower. this is not a new thing. what also needs to happen is greater penalties for juveniles. Lightfoot said the problem was because school was out. Nope. still happening.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:39 pm
There’s not much that these bills will do to reduce carjacking. But the reality is that there is not much that the legislature can do to reduce carjacking.
Comment by duck duck goose Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:39 pm
===don’t forget these criminals would lose their FOID cards.===
LOL that’s a good one props to you.
Comment by Leeroy Jenkins Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 3:51 pm
= = This is a real disaster for Cook County = = Drama much? C’mon, man. Floods, tornadoes, blizzards, now those are disasters. Carjacking is a crime and these pieces of legislation hope to deter it in some way and also help some of its victims.
Comment by Chito Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 4:19 pm
My personal saying about violent crime applies here - you don’t see millionaires shooting each other on the streets. Which is my way of saying that you need to look at the causes of violent crime, and a significant cause is poverty and lack of opportunity.
Sure it’s important to be able to catch and respond to violent crime quickly, but if you actually want to prevent it before it happens, you need to invest in the communities where violent crimes are being committed. People with opportunities and something to lose are less likely to commit violent crimes.
Comment by Techie Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 4:19 pm
The class X hijacking law won’t mean much if the DA Kim “let them go” Foxx does not enforce the law.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 4:32 pm
not seeing any penalty increase in the bill
Comment by confused Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 4:42 pm
=not seeing any penalty increase in the bill=
There isn’t one. Martwick is just describing the law as it currently exists.
Comment by well... Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 5:04 pm
Vehicular Hijacking is already punishable by a 21 year minimum sentence if the offender was armed with a firearm (or acting in conspiracy with somebody else who was armed with a firearm). How much more severe could we want the penalty to be?
Comment by A Reasonable Man Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 5:10 pm
I thought the car jacking problem was solved whe Dart hired Row Conn to be in charge /S
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 5:29 pm
Well this was a disappointing rollout.
Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 6:34 pm
Deeply underwhelming. Press conference urging more Federal carjacking prosecutions and resources would’ve at least been less fodder for future oppo mailers.
Comment by ChicagoBars Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 7:55 pm
Has anyone been arrested for carjacking but then the States Attorney didn’t prosecute because any of the above proposed provisions not on the books? Nope. Plenty of statues in the criminal code already cover this behavior. If the cops make a good arrest then prosecute the offender. That will help.
Comment by Galway Bay Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 8:45 pm