“Attempted” Carjacking At Toot ‘n Totum In Amarillo

An attempted carjacking took place at the Toot 'n Totum located at 2024 S Washington in Amarillo.  The attempted jack-move took place around 11pm last night in the parking lot.  The victim was a female that was pumping gas in her vehicle, when a man approached her asking for a ride.  She refused, so the suspect walked away, and appeared to be asking other patrons in the parking lot for a ride.  After being told no by several people, he decided to walk back up to the female that was pumping gas in her car, and tell her he was "going to take her car".  She reacted by getting into her car, attempting to shut the door and lock it, but the man was able to pull the door open before she could shut it.  He then pulled her out of her car, but the woman still had the keys in her hand.

A witness saw this all taking place, and pulled up beside the car that the suspect was attempting to steal.  The suspect then tried to get into the vehicle of the witness, but the door was locked.

The victim ran inside the store and called the cops.  While this was happening, the would-be car thief took the gas nozzle out of her car and got inside.  He couldn't steal it, because she still had the keys.

He then got out of the car and did was he should have done to begin with, started walking!

Amarillo Police

"On 4-9-14, at 11:16 PM, officers were sent to the Toot ‘n Totum store at 2024 S. Washington on an “attempted carjacking.”  A white female Amarillo resident told officers that she was putting gas into her black Toyota.  A man that she had seen standing in front of the store approached her.  He asked her for a ride, and she refused.  He walked away, and appeared to be asking other people on the lot for a ride.  He then approached her again and told her that he was going to take her car.  She got into her car and tried close the door, but the man was able to pull the door open before she could secure it.  He pulled her out of the car.  The victim was able to keep control of her car keys while being forced out of the car.  A witness saw the incident and pulled up beside the victim’s car.  The suspect tried to get into the vehicle the witness was driving, but could not open the locked door.  The victim ran into the store and called the police.  She saw the suspect take the gas nozzle out of her car and then get into the car.  He could not start the car because she still had the keys.  He got out of the vehicle and went toward Wolflin Avenue.  Responding officers including an officer with a police canine started searching the area.  The canine team located the suspect, who was hiding in some bushes in the 2000 block of S. Hughes, and took him into custody.  The suspect Barry Don Baird WM 41 of Amarillo was booked into the Potter County Detention Center on a charge of robbery."