If you see a plastic bottle (usually a water/soda bottle) wedged between your car’s tire and the wheel well, you should immediately STOP, stay vigilant, and not approach your vehicle casually. It is widely recognized as a potential carjacking or robbery trap.
How the Scam Works:
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The Setup: A perpetrator places an empty plastic bottle against a tire, usually the driver’s side rear tire, so it gets jammed when the car moves.
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The Distraction: You get in your car, start driving, and immediately hear a loud, alarming “thump-thump-thump” or crushing sound coming from your wheel. It sounds and feels like you’ve run over something or have a flat tire.
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The Trap: The natural reaction is to stop the car and get out to investigate the noise.
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The Crime: As you are bent over looking at the tire, distracted and vulnerable, the perpetrator approaches. Their goal is to either steal your car (if you left it running), rob you directly, or steal items from the passenger seat while you’re distracted at the rear.
What You Should Do Immediately:
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DO NOT stop immediately in the area where you first heard the noise if you are in a secluded or unsafe location (parking garage, quiet street).
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Drive slowly to a well-lit, busy, and secure public area like a gas station, police station, or crowded shopping center.
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Keep your doors locked and windows up until you are in a safe place.
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Once safely stopped, you can then check and easily remove the bottle yourself.
Other Variations of This Trap:
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A sticker or piece of paper placed over the driver’s side camera or windshield to get you to exit the vehicle.
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Debris or “found money” placed near the car to lure you out.
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Someone tapping on your window or pointing at your car as if something is wrong while you’re at a stoplight.
General Safety Rule:
If you experience sudden car trouble in an isolated area, it’s safest to call roadside assistance or the police and wait with your doors locked. Be extremely cautious of anyone who approaches offering unsolicited help before you have called for it.
Please share this information to help others stay aware and safe. This scam has been reported in various regions. Your vigilance is your best defense.