NEW ORLEANS — A food delivery driver and a Tulane student were car jacked in two separate incidents Tuesday night.
The car jackings happened just a few blocks from each other in Uptown New Orleans. NOPD do believe the car jackings are connected.
Ben Lindenbaum ordered food through a food delivery app Tuesday night. Around 8:30 p.m., a woman and her mother dropped off his order.
“Maybe five minutes later I get a text saying ‘I just got held at gunpoint outside your house,’” he said. “I immediately ran outside."
According to NOPD, two men approached the women and demanded they get out the car. The suspects got in and drove off, but the vehicle shut off after only driving a few feet, possibly the result of an anti-theft device.
“The car had some mechanism that didn't allow it to move or something,” Lindenbaum said.
The suspects ran off.
“I’m thankful the two women are okay and nothing bad really happened, they got their car back,” Lindenbaum said.
Just minutes later on Cohn and Pine streets, a Tulane student was getting his belonging out of his Honda Accord when two men demanded his keys and drove off in his car. NOPD detectives do believe the two incidents are connected.
“Just another string of events this week. It’s been pretty wild,” said Tulane student, Alex Mclaughlin who lives in the area. “I’m kind of surprised by it all.”
Tulane University has increased foot, bicycle, and vehicle patrols along the Broadway corridor and surrounding neighborhood.
The carjackings weren't too far from where a four hour long standoff with a SWAT team happened Monday. That's when a suspect accused of about six armed robberies in the Uptown area was arrested.
“People being robbed on this street, then the whole SWAT standoff, just been out of a movie this week,” Mclaughlin said.
Tulane is reminding students they can request a “safety escort” on or off campus.
Tulane released the following statement:
"Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our community.
In response to these incidents, and to further protect our community, we have increased foot, bicycle and vehicle patrols along the Broadway corridor and in the surrounding neighborhood.
In coordination with the NOPD, we have responded to all of these crimes and reached out in support of the victims that are affiliated with Tulane.
We also have 15 SafeCityCam video surveillance cameras installed around the Tulane campus. Evidence from those cameras has been used by both TUPD and NOPD to remove perpetrators from the community.
We have sent out messages reminding students that they can request a Safety Escort, on or off campus. We urge all members of the Tulane community to travel in pairs; plan the safest route to their destination; make sure someone else is aware of the route they will be taking; stay on well-lit, well-traveled streets and follow these other crime prevention measures"
NOPD said the investigations are active and ongoing. Anyone with information that can aid detectives is asked to call 504-658-6020 or to call anonymously to Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.
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