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String of carjackings in southeast Edmonton spurs warning from police

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String of carjackings in southeast Edmonton spurs warning from police
WATCH ABOVE: There have been three violent carjackings in southeast Edmonton this week and police are urging people to be aware. Kent Morrison reports live on what happened – Mar 6, 2019

Several carjackings in less than a day in the southeast section of the city has prompted the Edmonton Police Service to issue a warning to the public.

Police said the carjackings involve suspects with similar descriptions.

Incident #1

The first incident happened on Monday night in the Silver Berry neighbourhood, east of Mill Woods.

Officers were called to the parking lot of a business in the area of 23 Avenue and 24 Street at around 7:30 p.m. Police said officers were told a woman was getting out of her vehicle when she was approached by two men who demanded the keys to her black 2016 Toyota RAV4.

“The suspects then allegedly choked the female and threatened her with a knife,” police said, noting that the woman was not injured.

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“After receiving the keys, one of the suspects reportedly fled in the female’s RAV4 while the other fled in a black [or] blue truck or SUV.”

Incident #2

The second carjacking happened early Tuesday morning. Police said the call came in at 12:55 a.m. from the Ellerslie neighbourhood.

Police said a man had just parked his white 2013 GMC Acadia on the road near 85 Street and 7 Avenue S.W. when he was reportedly approached by two men in a black SUV who asked him to help them find an address.

“The two males then allegedly exited their vehicle and demanded the complainant’s vehicle keys,” police said in a news release.

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“When the keys were not provided, an altercation reportedly took place, and the male complainant suffered minor injuries. The men then allegedly fled the area in the black SUV.”

Incident #3

The third incident happened about 12 hours later and a few blocks away in the Summerside neighbourhood.

Police said a woman told them shortly before 1 p.m., she was loading items into her red 2019 Kia Sportage in a parking lot by 70 Street and Stanton Drive S.W. “when she was approached by two males in a black SUV who demanded her vehicle keys.”

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“After providing the keys, one of the males allegedly assaulted her, and both fled the area with her vehicle and the black SUV,” police said. “The female complainant suffered minor injuries as a result.”

Suspect description

Investigators believe all three carjackings are linked and may involve the same suspects. An EPS spokesperson said the manner in which the carjackings were done was similar in each case.

“In each incident, the suspects were described as males between the ages of 25 and 35, approximately five-foot-six to five-foot-eleven in height.”

Police said the suspects were described as having average builds, and one had “facial scruff.”

Edmonton police believe the suspects may be driving one of the two vehicles seen below.

Photos of two vehicles that police believe a pair of carjacking suspects may be driving in Edmonton. Supplied by EPS

The RAV4 featured Alberta licence plate number BVW 0059, while the Sportage featured Alberta licence plate number M58038.

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Anyone who sees the suspects is asked not to approach them, but to call police instead.

Police warned Edmontonians to be aware of their surroundings, especially when getting in and out of their vehicles.

READ MORE: Police seek ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect after southwest Edmonton carjacking 

“Parking in well-lit, public areas, locking their doors immediately after entering and exiting their vehicles and keeping their doors locked while driving is recommended,” police said, adding that if someone approaches a driver and demands keys, the driver should comply and then call police as soon as it is safe to do so.

Anyone with information about the carjackings is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

WATCH BELOW: Some videos from Global News’ coverage of carjackings in Edmonton.

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