Community Chat

[KingstonsMom]

A 19-year-old woman who found a flannel shirt on her car window fears it could be a ploy used by kidnappers. 

Ashley Hardacre was leaving work at a mall in Flint, Michigan on February 15 when she spotted the shirt tangled around her windshield wiper after she got into her car.

She said she noticed two cars hovering near her vehicle, almost as if they were waiting which made her suspicious. 

She took to Facebook to warn others about the possible tactic, writing: 'I got to my car and locked the doors behind me immediately as I always do and noticed that there was a blue flannel shirt on my windshield.

'Instead of trying to remove it, I drove away and rolled down her window at a safe location to pull the shirt off.  At first I thought maybe someone had just thrown it on my car for some odd reason.'

'I used my windshield wipers to try to get them off but the shirt was completely wrapped around my wiper blade. I had seen posts lately about people finding things under their windshield wipers in the Burton/Flint area as an attempt to get girls out of their cars and distracted.'

Because she saw the posts and heeded her parents' warnings, she knew to pull over to a safe area to roll down her window to remove the shirt. 

She ended the Facebook status: 'I'm so glad my parents had informed me that it was happening in our area, I just never thought it would potentially happen to my car.' 

Michigan ranks second in the country for human trafficking because of its proximity to Canada and waterways according to the Times Herald. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4247724/Driver-shares-viral-warning-possible-kidnap-attempt....

[KingstonsMom]

I had not heard anything about this kind of ploy and wanted to share.

Always be diligent and aware of your surroundings and STAY SAFE!

[Greeneyedlady21]

There really are some industrious sickos out there, to use an oxymoron not meant in any positive way. Hope the word will spread about this.

[cherry]

Flint is only a couple of hrs from Detroit, and that is  very near Canada, and the Great Lakes.

There was a young girl kidnapped in Nevada by human trafficers. Luckily she  gt home safely from her ordeal.  The world is a dangerous place today for everyone

[KingstonsMom]

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@Greeneyedlady21 wrote:

There really are some industrious sickos out there, to use an oxymoron not meant in any positive way. Hope the word will spread about this.

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@Greeneyedlady21

I agree, but unfortunately the word will spread to criminals in other areas too, so no matter where you may live, keep this ploy in mind!

[Mominohio]

What will they think of next?!

We tend to go the same place, and really let down our guard because it all feels "safe" and "normal". but when we least expect it, we could be a target. 

Thanks for posting this. I wouldn't have thought about something like this happening.

And I'd caution that if they are doing this to distract and cause harm (whether it is abduction or simply to steal your purse or car), then I guess we need to watch for any other thing that would make us focus our attention on our car (flat tire when we come out of the store, obstructions placed behind the car or under the tires that we would have to take time to move out of the way, etc.) rather than our surroundings.  When this story gets out, they will think of another way for the victim to be distracted and occupied. 

[CANDLEQUEEN]

This is horrible. I will be sure to let my daughters know about this as well.....I also heard not too long ago that people were placing car seats with a doll in it crying, so when cars would go by they would see this car seat on the side of the road and hear what they thought would be a baby crying and get out of course, only to be ambushed and attacked........Crazy world we live in! You can never be cautious enough!

[dex]

How do you prepare your children to stay safe from all of these innovative rotten thugs.This is definately a worry for parents today.I would have never thought that shirt was a ploy or a crying baby on the side of the road was a set up.

[KingstonsMom]

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@Mominohio wrote:

What will they think of next?!

We tend to go the same place, and really let down our guard because it all feels "safe" and "normal". but when we least expect it, we could be a target. 

Thanks for posting this. I wouldn't have thought about something like this happening.

And I'd caution that if they are doing this to distract and cause harm (whether it is abduction or simply to steal your purse or car), then I guess we need to watch for any other thing that would make us focus our attention on our car (flat tire when we come out of the store, obstructions placed behind the car or under the tires that we would have to take time to move out of the way, etc.) rather than our surroundings.  When this story gets out, they will think of another way for the victim to be distracted and occupied. 

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@Mominohio

Great advice! This ploy to distract and get you out of your car, for whatever criminal intent, can be modified in many ways!

So as sad as it is, we have to constantly be aware these days and not get too complacent, even in our most familiar environments.

I have a personal experience of being too complacent in familiar surroundings, that happened to a GF of mine and I'll try to be brief:

It's Christmas, she's shopping at the jewelry counter of an upscale store in the mall, purchased a large stone blue topaz ring for her Mom (her birthstone), unaware that a couple of guys had been watching her and followed her out of the store.

Thinking it was a large diamond ring, so she must be wealthy, they kidnapped her and held her for 3 days for a ransom.

She was rescued by the FBI when they went to meet the ransom demand, but you don't want to know what she went through in those 3 days.

[Suziepeach]

And people laugh at the fact my husband and my BIL won't anymore let me or my sister go shopping alone..  with the exception of the hair salon or grocery store.  It's getting so unsafe for women.. when we travel my husband carries. 

Please ladies be careful and don't let down your guard.