4 Sought in Armed Pinellas Carjacking

A 34-year-old Pinellas Park man escaped injury when his vehicle was carjacked on his way home Tuesday evening.

According to the Pinellas Park Police Department, the man was driving his 2013 Nissan Maxima north on 52nd street when he stopped at his destination. As he did, a vehicle pulled up behind his and two armed men piled out of the car. The two men ran up to the victim’s vehicle as he got out and proceeded to rob him, an email from the agency stated.

As the robbery was under way, police say a third man got out of the suspect vehicle, got into the victim’s Nissan and drove off with it. The first two suspects proceeded to get back into the vehicle they arrived in and fled.

The victim was able to flag down a Pinellas Park patrol unit just moments after the crime occurred, the email said. A few minutes later, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy happened to spot the suspect vehicle, believed to be a dark blue Hyundai Sonata, heading south on 66th Street in St. Petersburg. The deputy also noticed the stolen Nissan drive past.

At that point, the deputy tried to catch up with the stolen car, but it crashed into a tree, the email said. Police K9 units were unable to track the driver, who fled on foot.

Detectives believe the suspects in the Hyundai ultimately picked up driver of the stolen Nissan.

The stolen Nissan was recovered, but heavily damaged. Police say the carjacking victim was not injured.

Further details are not available at this time.

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