A WOMAN has escaped injury in the latest attempt to hijack a car in the Belfast area.
Four masked men are reported to have been involved in the incident which took place in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The men forced the woman to stop by standing in front of her car as she made her way along Agincourt Avenue in south Belfast shortly after midnight.
She managed to lock the car doors and was able to drive off despite the men’s attempts to gain entry.
All four had their faces covered or wore masks.
Yesterday’s attempted hijacking was the latest in a series of incidents across the city in the last fortnight.
South Belfast MLA Conall McDevitt described the Agincourt Avenue incident as “a sinister turn” due to the presence of masked men.
Describing the masks as “something which has not featured in previous instances”, the SDLP Assemblyman said: “On this occasion, they were unsuccessful in their attempts as the driver had her doors locked – which is a positive indication that drivers are taking their security seriously – but I would continue to urge motorists to take all possible measures to ensure their safety.”
The majority of victims have been female drivers and police have set up a special task force to deal with the crimewave.
In the early hours of Saturday, three men also entered a taxi in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast and reportedly told the driver they were taking his vehicle.
The taxi driver stopped the car on the nearby Grosvenor Road and the three men fled.
A 22-year-old man was arrested following the incident and has been charged to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on February 16.
Last Thursday, three males – aged 18, 19 and 24 – were released on bail after being arrested in connection with the recent spate of carjackings.
Earlier this month a 15-year-old male was charged by police after a woman’s car was hijacked outside a nursery on Rugby Road in the south of the city.
Police chiefs were quizzed by the Policing Board last week over their progress in bringing those responsible to justice.
The Belfast District Policing Partnership has also met with local police commanders to voice their concerns and to assess developments.