Armed crook who carjacked mom, teen daughter in their Philly driveway is arrested — and faces federal charges

The armed carjacker who targeted a Philadelphia mother and daughter in their own driveway last week was arrested and faces federal charges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.

What are the details?

Amir Harvey, 20, of Philadelphia was arrested and charged with carjacking and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced Thursday in a press release.

Investigators told WTXF-TV the victims were leaving their home in the 8900 block of Maxwell Place in the northeast section of the city around 6 a.m. Sept. 19 when the carjacker ambushed them.

"It appears he was laying in wait," Captain John Ryan told the station. "He rode a bicycle up there, left the bicycle behind, we have that."

The mother said she started her vehicle using an application on her cell phone, according to the justice department.

Surveillance video shows the mother and daughter opening the doors of their white Hyundai Santa Fe SUV as the carjacker sneaks up with his gun drawn and heads toward the daughter, who's standing outside the passenger-side door of the Santa Fe.

The mother and daughter begin screaming, and the daughter runs across the street as the carjacker momentarily chases after her before turning his attention to the mother, who's standing outside the Santa Fe's driver-side door. It appears the mother drops her purse on the ground, and the carjacker grabs it before entering the vehicle and driving off.

The justice department said the mother used the location tracking feature on her cellphone application and informed police, who went to the 2000 block of Griffith Street — about 2.5 miles from the victim’s residence. Investigators used neighborhood surveillance video to trace the movement of the victim’s vehicle and the defendant to a nearby apartment complex, the justice department added.

Why does the suspect face federal charges?

The department of justice said the carjacking suspect is being federally charged as a result of the newly formed Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, which consists of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Philadelphia police.

The task force's goal is to halt armed carjackings and violent crimes through investigative and enforcement techniques meant to identify and refer for federal prosecution "all who terrorize innocent victims through commission of these offenses within Philadelphia and surrounding areas," the justice department said.

U.S. Attorney Romero added that "this defendant threatened the lives of a mother and daughter going about their daily morning routine. Carjacking is not game or a fun pastime, it is a serious federal crime with severe consequences.”

Surveillance camera captures armed carjacking in Philadelphia drivewayyoutu.be