Three recent carjackings on I-5 have State Patrol on alert in Pierce and King counties

A string of similar carjackings has put state troopers on high alert.

Washington State Patrol released a press release Tuesday promising to increase its presence on I-5 and advising the public to be aware of the recent incidents. Each of them involved a white SUV and suspects identified as young people, possibly teenagers.

The first incident occurred early Sunday morning, according to the release. A white SUV bumped the rear of another vehicle on southbound I-5 near the South 320th Street exit. After both vehicles pulled to the shoulder, three people wearing ski masks got out of the SUV. The suspects pointed guns at the victims and stole a phone and wallet, which they threw into the bushes. The suspects stole the victims’ vehicle and fled.

The other two incidents occurred Tuesday morning, according to the release. The first happened shortly after midnight, when a white SUV bumped a vehicle near Fife. Six to seven men wearing ski masks got out of the SUV and punched the victim before stealing his car. Troopers used the victim’s GPS-enabled phone, which the suspects tossed out of the car, to track the stolen car until locating it in Federal Way and pursuing it to Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Washington State Patrol spokesperson Chris Loftis told The News Tribune the pursuit included troopers and the Federal Way Police Department, and a chase on foot with a K-9. They arrested two 13-year-old girls, questioned them and released them to their families. They also arrested a young man who is in custody.

The third incident happened shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to the release. A white SUV bumped another car, and the suspects robbed the victims at gunpoint, stealing their car. Troopers later heard that an attempt was made to use one of the victim’s credit cards at a McDonald’s on South 320th Street in Federal Way. Loftis said the restaurant’s night manager gave a description of the customer’s car that matched the description of the stolen vehicle.

According to Loftis, Washington State Patrol is doubling the force that’s regularly on the road during the nighttime and early-morning hours when the incidents have been happening. Troopers assigned to patrol south King County and north Pierce County will be working together so they can act quickly. The increased number of troopers and command staff in the area will be in place through the coming weekend and beyond if necessary, he said.

The goal is to be both a visual deterrent to criminal activity and “a visual reassurance to the public” when they’re on the road and see multiple WSP members and their vehicles, Loftis said.

“We take this very seriously,” he said. “Not only is this a potential harm to victims who were involved, but the traveling public can easily be distracted by this kind of activity on the side of the road.”

Loftis said the fact that the suspects have been identified as young people further shows they don’t seem to be “criminal masterminds of some organized crime that you see in the movies,” but teenagers putting themselves in situations that could impact them for their whole lives.

WSP recommends that anyone involved in a minor collision with a white SUV should immediately call 911. You should move to a safe location, out of the flow of traffic but not pinned in, and pay attention to who gets out of the other vehicle, as well as the number of people there are. If the situation seems suspicious, you should quickly drive away from the area to a well-lit public place like a police station and avoid engaging with them.

“Carjackings in our area are extremely rare but they do sometimes occur,” the release says. “While the vast majority of minor collisions are simple fender-benders caused by an inattentive driver, the traveling public needs to be aware and wary of any similar scenario where they are bumped by another vehicle and then multiple or masked people emerge from the causing vehicle.”

Any similarly suspicious behavior, even if it doesn’t involve a white SUV or match the description of the suspicious parties in these incidents, should be treated with caution, according to the release.

Anyone who has information about the three incidents that happened should notify WSP immediately by contacting detective Sgt. Stacy Moate at 425-401-7745 or stacy.moate@wsp.wa.gov , the release says. They can also contact Crime Stoppers at https://crimestoppers.com/ .