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Suspect hides in mom's SUV before surprising, carjacking her

The victim immediately noticed a weird smell when she got into the SUV on Monday.

DECATUR, Ga. — Police are searching for the suspect who they said laid in waiting in the backseat of a mom's SUV before jumping out and demanding she hand it over.

On Feb. 12, police said the victim was driving down Estoria Street Southeast near Wylie Street when a man emerged from the trunk area of her red 2015 Toyota Rav-4.

The victim's daughter told 11Alive she was in the SUV wither her mother moments before the carjacking occurred.

She said her mom immediately noticed a weird smell when they got into the SUV on Monday.

The victim's daughter said they drove almost 30 minutes from Decatur to Atlanta with the suspect in the back. After the victim dropped off her daughter off at school, the suspect surprised her.

In a dark area near the Krog Street Tunnel, the suspect popped out of the cargo area of the SUV and demanded the woman's car. The victim immediately placed her SUV in park, got out, and ran into the street. At that point, the suspect got into the driver’s seat and sped away from the scene.

A Lyft driver passing by allowed the victim to get into her vehicle and tried to block the suspect from the leaving the scene. The suspect reversed into oncoming traffic and drove westbound on Wylie Street.

Police said the witness tried to follow the suspect but lost sight of him after entering southwest Atlanta.

The victim's daughter believes the suspect likely snuck into the SUV when the garage was open at their home.

The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 18 to 19-years-old with no facial hair and a low haircut. Police said at the time of the carjacking, he was wearing a gray shirt.

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