A former cat burglar has shared her primary safety advice for avoiding robbery, carjacking, or kidnapping in public spaces. Jennifer Gomez, who spent a decade in prison for her crimes, emphasizes hyper-vigilance and specific car security measures.
Her foremost recommendation is to adjust car door locking settings. Gomez advises configuring car key fobs or automatic unlock features so that only the driver's side door unlocks initially. To unlock the other doors, a second, manual unlock action is required. She noted that automakers such as Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet, and Lincoln offer this feature. Gomez explained that criminals can easily access a vehicle's passenger side or rear doors if all are unlocked simultaneously, allowing them to steal belongings or the vehicle itself.
Gomez also cautioned against loading groceries into the backseats of cars in parking lots. This action can limit a person's visibility and make them vulnerable to an approach from a nearby vehicle. Instead, she suggests placing groceries in the trunk or the front passenger seat, areas that offer more visibility to others.
"The main person that an attacker looks for is a person who is distracted," Gomez stated. She highlighted that distracted individuals, often engrossed in their phones, present an easier target for criminals who rely on the element of surprise. Gomez urged people to remain aware of their surroundings, make eye contact with anyone who seems suspicious, and avoid looking at their devices while walking to or from their vehicles.
As an additional precaution, Gomez recommended immediately locking all car doors upon entering a vehicle to prevent an attacker from entering with the driver.
Her advice comes amidst recent incidents, including a daytime robbery of an elderly resident in Queens and a car theft in Brooklyn where a fleeing suspect struck a person using a walker.