Local News

Actions

Milwaukee woman jumps on top of her car to stop thieves

Posted at 2:47 PM, May 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-25 08:35:25-04

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee woman jumped on top of her car to keep thieves from taking off with it, police say.

Video from a Milwaukee gas station shows the woman, Melissa Smith, get out of her SUV to pump gas. That's when some people in a dark car pull up in front of it.

Someone gets out of the car, and hops inside the woman's. At that point, she sees what is happening, and jumps on her hood - hanging on as the suspect tries to drive away.

"It's one of those holy s**t moments," Smith said.

Surveillance footage captured the moment she jumped on her vehicle in an attempt to get her car back.

"I probably think I'm tougher than I really am," Smith said.

Smith was checking emails in her car while she was filling up gas Tuesday around 2 p.m.

"I got out of my car to take the pump out and grab my receipt and turned around and realized somebody's in my car," she said.

One thought crossed her mind.

"This is not happening to me today," Smith said.

Smith first planned to grab the mirror but said she got a better idea.

"Jumped on the top and held on for dear life," she said.

The driver tried throwing her off the hood.

"He laughed at me the entire time so zero remorse," Smith said.

Smith screamed at the top of her lungs, which is what she thinks got the suspect got out of her car. The suspect got out, but the car wasn’t in park.

"Then I had to chase my car into the street and stop it before it hit somebody else," Smith said.

Police are still looking for the suspects.  Smith was told the car they were in was stolen.

"The police said mostly women run in the other direction and go ask for help and don't hop on top of their car.....They told me it was not the smartest," Smith said.

Looking back, the 27-year-old wouldn't have been on her phone or left her keys in the car.  She surprised herself. 

"I can't believe that I reacted like that."

Smith said the suspect stole her purse, wallet, iPhone and sunglasses.