2 armed carjackings reported in Evanston

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Evanston police are investigating a two overnight carjackings targeting women drivers.

The carjackings were reported just hours apart. The first carjacking occurred around 9 p.m. in the 1200-block of Fowler Avenue. Marsha Cattouse-Lee, 39, was sitting in her Mazda CX-9 when she was approached by two men in their late teens or early 20s who pulled out a handgun. They took her vehicle and her wallet before driving off.

"It could have went totally wrong last night, but just thankful. The car is materialistic," Cattouse-Lee said.

Then, shortly after midnight, a similar incident happened in the 1700-block of Washington Street where a 36-year-old woman had just parked her gray Acura when she was also approached by two men with a handgun who demanded her keys and purse.

"A short time later, patrol units spotted both cars going eastbound on Harvard Terrace. A pursuit ensued," said Sgt. Dennis Leaks of the Evanston Police Department.

Police said the Mazda stolen in the first carjacking crashed into a security gate of a home. The suspect fled on foot. Insider the Mazda, police recovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver believed to have been used in both carjackings.

Evanston Police continued chasing the stolen Acura but ended their pursuit after the car traveled into Chicago. Police said the sedan was later found abandoned on the Far North Side in the 1500-block of Jonquil Terrace.

"It's alarming and disturbing. We have vehicle thefts. We don't have a lot of incidents like this, and we would just tell residents to be vigilant," Leaks said.

The two victims were not hurt. Police have no one in custody, but they're combing the two recovered vehicles for evidence.

For Cattouse-Lee, it all just seemed senseless.

"It's cowardice. It's careless. It's just-they're young, dumb and stupid," she said.

Anyone with information about the carjackings is asked to call the Evanston Police Detective Division at (847) 866-5040 or text a tip to 274637 with "EDTIP" at the beginning of the message.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.