OAK LAWN, Ill – A would-be carjacker at a credit union here choose the wrong the car to steal when he realized he couldn’t operate a manual transmission.
LaDelle Cox, 23, of Chicago, has been charged with one felony count of vehicular hijacking, according to Patch.com. Police in Oak Lawn, Ill. responded to a call of a man with a gun at the branch of Credit Union 1 here around 3:15 p.m. July 8.
According to police, an employee told officers of watching a man, allegedly identified as Cox, show a gun and talking to a member who had just left the credit union. The employee’s attention was drawn to the man who kept switching places in the driver’s seat with a member, which the employee said she found odd. The same employee reported seeing Cox allegedly pull a large silver revolver out for a few seconds and then put it back into his pocket, Patch.com presorted.
The member then left the lot in the car and then Cox allegedly began walking in the opposite direction, before detectives stopped a man who met the description. The member also returned to the credit union where he allegedly identified Cox, according to police.
The member alleged that after making a withdrawal and putting cash in the trunk of his car, Cox allegedly asked him for a dollar, Patch.com reported. When the member said he couldn’t help him, Cox allegedly showed the revolver, and then got into the car.
“He asked,‘How do you put this f---ing in reverse?’” the member said.
Switching Places
Police said Cox allegedly slid over to the passenger seat and told the member “you’re going to drive me then.”
Informed by the member that he wasn’t getting back in the car, Cox slid back into the driver’s seat ordered the the member to put the car in reverse, according to the police report. When the member told Cox the car had a manual transmission and he wasn’t going to teach him how to drive it, police said he reached into the car and released the emergency brake, Patch.com reported.
The car rolled slightly backways before Cox allegedly got out of the vehicle, Patch.com said. The member got behind the wheel as Cox allegedly tried to enter the front passenger seat, but the car door was locked.
According to Patch.com, Cox allegedly went to the driver’s side and told the member the alleged carjacking was a “prank,” including showing the gun again and showing it was a Bear River Air Soft.
The member told police that Cox asked if he could give him a ride, and tried to shake his hand “like we we’re friends,” the report said, according to Patch.com.
Police said the member drove away from Cox, went to the dealer to put money down on a new vehicle, then returned to the credit union to file a report.
Cox has been charged, with bail set at $300,000.