Thieves steal 2nd car from Beverly home targeted in armed carjacking, alderman says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A South Side family who were victims of an armed carjacking earlier this month have been targeted for a second time, according to their alderman.

Nineteenth Ward Alderman Matt O'Shea said the same family who was robbed at gunpoint on Nov. 2nd had their second car stolen Tuesday morning.

Chicago police confirmed officers responded to the 9300-block of South Pleasant around 7:20 a.m. for a report of a stolen vehicle. They said it was recovered a short time later in the 9700-block of South Merrill and no case report was generated.

Police have not yet confirmed the two incidents are related.

RELATED: Chicago police arrest person in connection to armed carjacking outside Beverly home

O'Shea said he has not spoken with the family directly, but has been in contact with police, who he asked to investigate if the carjacking and car theft may have been carried out by the same people.

Police earlier said two people were in custody for the Nov. 2 carjacking.

After the first incident, the family spoke out about their horrifying encounter with hopes their story can help keep others safe after the first carjacking.

Michele Pettiford screamed as she was attacked and pushed to the ground by two men at gunpoint behind her family's home. Footage of the attack was captured on the family's Ring security camera.

"The night time is really hard," Michelle said. "I don't want to go outside. I don't want to go in the backyard."

She was returning home from an open volleyball gym with her 12-year-old daughter last Thursday when the two men rushed into her yard just before 9 p.m.

"I go in waves of like being okay and being not okay," Michelle said. "Trying to stay strong for my kids."

Her husband, Jeff Pettiford, said he yelled at the two men before they pointed their weapons at him, demanding car keys.

The two men ultimately got into in the family's Audi A7 and took off, along with more of Michele's belongings.

"A carjacking isn't just somebody stealing a car," Jeff said. "When you see something like that and the trauma it causes a family, a wife, a daughter... then it becomes more real."

Michele and Jeff said their Beverly community has supported their family during this traumatic time, helping them get by a day at a time.

"Beverly is a really unique place where it doesn't matter if you know the person or not, you're going to support them," Michelle said.

The couple hopes that by speaking out about the violent encounter, their story will serve as a reminder about always staying aware of your surroundings.