Indio residents raise safety concerns during carjacking attempt

Residents of Desert Trace in Indio are voicing concerns about neighborhood safety after a video of an attempted carjacking spread on social media.

The video shows a person pulling the handles of the car but leaving without taking anything.

Neighbors worry the incident could signal an increase in thefts as the valley’s population increases due to seasonal visitors and holiday shoppers.

Ben Guitron, Indio Police Department public information officer, said a report of suspicious activity came in Monday evening in the Desert Trace neighborhood, located on the city’s southeast edge, east of 48th Street and Calhoun Avenue.

“We received a report of suspicious activity in the area,” Guitron said. “This is an ongoing investigation. It’s nothing major, but it’s important that when people are looking for someone for this type of activity, if they see anything unusual in their neighborhood, they report it to the police department.”

He said residents can help prevent these incidents by locking cars, keeping valuables hidden and reporting suspicious activity.

Stay tuned to News Channel 3 for any updates on the ongoing investigation.