Occupants trapped in vehicle with carjacker for four hours, police allege

Police arrested a 19-year-old woman over an alleged carjacking on Sunday. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

After a teenager allegedly used weapons to commit a carjacking, she then trapped the car’s two occupants in the vehicle for four hours while they drove around Canberra.

At around midday on Sunday (23 March), the 19-year-old woman wielded weapons when she got into a parked car in Dickson, threatened the occupants and demanded to be driven around, an ACT Policing spokesperson alleged.

While the driver complied with her alleged demands, the woman then got into the driver’s seat and drove off while the two occupants were still inside the vehicle.

The woman allegedly drove dangerously through Canberra with the pair inside the car, including crossing onto the wrong side of the road and speeding.

At around 4 pm that afternoon, the two occupants managed to escape the car in Oaks Estate. Police located the car two hours later in Reid.

Police found the 19-year-old woman nearby later that evening.

She was scheduled to face the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday (24 March).

She has been charged with robbery, forcible confinement, driving a motor vehicle without consent, possessing an offensive weapon with intent and recklessly threatening to inflict grievous bodily harm.

The teenager faced court and was taken for a mental health assessment.