A carjacking came to an abrupt stop Tuesday afternoon when a vehicle crashed into the side of a downtown Winnipeg building and the driver ran off, leaving two frightened passengers with the smashed car.
The owner of the car was inside a business near Portage Avenue and Young Street around 3:30 p.m. while his wife and 18-year-old child waited in the parked car, when a man got into the vehicle to steal it, police said in a news release Thursday.
The thief didn’t make it far, crashing the car directly into the Young Street side of the CBC building on Portage.
The man assaulted the older passenger before he ran away, police said.
An ambulance was called and provided medical treatment to the woman, who wasn’t seriously injured.
The 18-year-old passenger had previously exited the vehicle, police said.
Officers spoke with witnesses but the carjacker was gone. The major crimes unit continues to investigate.
Police ask anyone with information, including video, to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS or winnipegcrimestoppers.org.