Shoppers are on alert following a carjacking at Concord Mills in broad daylight.
Police said two armed suspects robbed a 40-year-old man in the parking lot of Dave and Busters. It happened just before 1 p.m. on Friday as the victim pulled up to work.
Off camera, the victim told NBC Charlotte one of the suspects knocked on his windshield asking for $2. When he said he didn’t have it, things turned violent.
“I think that’s terrible,” said customer Gaby Sandoval.
“It doesn’t make me want to park here; it makes me want to move my car,” said customer Breanna Garland.
The victim said he had just arrived at work when the suspect asked for the money. The 40-year-old man told NBC Charlotte the suspect pulled a gun on him and another armed suspect approached. Then both suspects took off with his vehicle.
“You would never think it would around this area because Concord has never been to a bad extent,” said Sandoval.
When NBC Charlotte looked at crime mapping stats, there were few violent crimes in the immediate area. After broadening the search to a one-mile radius from the mall, NBC Charlotte found 20 crimes since March; many of them were property crimes.
“It can happen anywhere; I don’t feel safe,” said Sandoval.
Authorities said always pay attention to your surroundings and park as close to the building as possible, near a light if it’s dark.
A couple days after the carjacking, the victim’s vehicle was found in Charlotte a few miles away. Customers hoped the two suspects find the same fate.
“I hope they get them because I’m sure it’ll happen again,” said Garland.
Police made no arrests. The victim was not hurt.