NEW ORLEANS - Carjackings increased by nearly 20 percent in 2021 and as the new year begins, it appears that such criminal activities are on track to continue in New Orleans.

According to WWL-TV, since New Years Eve, over a dozen vehicles have been stolen across the Crescent City.

Incidents occurred near City Park, the Superdome, and the CBD.

In one Saturday night carjacking, a woman was held at gunpoint in front of her home near Camp and Calhoun Streets in the Uptown neighborhood as the carjacker demanded her vehicle.

She says the carjacker made off with $60 in cash, jewelry, her computer, and a zip drive with all the notes and work she completed toward a graduate financial degree.

WWL-TV cites Southern University of New Orleans Criminologist Dr. John Penny as explaining that many carjackers will likely abandon stolen vehicles when they run out of gas.

“They use it to commit other crimes then dump it after they’re finished doing that they’re doing,” Penny said. “When they don’t have any more use for them, that’s what happens.”

Penny added that not only has the pandemic left many in economic crisis but with time on their hands. Unfortunately, some are using this time to engage in criminal activities.

Penny said, “We now have more families that are in destitute, into their own behavior. They figure, 'I can run faster, if I snatch a purse, if I steal a car, who’s going to be there to stop me?'”

According to the U.S. Department of State, it is best to keep the following in mind during a carjacking:

In most carjacking situations, the attackers are interested only in the vehicle. Try to stay calm. Do not stare at the attacker as this may seem aggressive and cause them to harm you.

There are two options during an attack--nonresistive, nonconfrontational behavior and resistive or confrontational behavior. Your reaction should be based on certain factors:

-Type of attack

-Environment (isolated or public)

-Mental state of attacker (reasonable or nervous)

-Number of attackers

-Weapons

-Whether children are present

In the nonconfrontational situation, you would:

-give up the vehicle freely.

-listen carefully to all directions.

-make no quick or sudden movements that the attacker could construe as a counter attack.

-always keeps your hands in plain view. Tell the attacker of every move in advance.

-make the attacker aware if children are present. The attacker may be focused only on the driver and not know children are in the car.

In a resistive or confrontational response, you would make a decision to escape or attack the carjacker. Before doing so, consider: 

-the mental state of the attacker. 

-possible avenues of escape. 

-the number of attackers; there is usually more than one. 

the use of weapons. (Weapons are used in the majority of carjacking situations.)

In most instances, it is probably safest to give up your vehicle.