2 vehicles stolen in carjacking spree across 3 cities

Two vehicles were stolen Monday evening in a string of carjacking incidents in Irvine, Costa Mesa and Tustin, authorities said. In each case, the driver was approached by a woman intent on taking the car.

The first occurred at about 6 p.m. in a parking lot in the 17000 block of Von Karman Avenue in Irvine when a woman approached a car and ordered the driver to get out, according to Irvine police.

When the driver refused, the woman approached another car, this time with a knife, police said. She carjacked the vehicle, and the victim called 911, according to authorities.

Police described the woman as Latino, in her 20s, 5-feet-2 and about 130 pounds. She reportedly was wearing a navy blue hoodie and jeans.

Costa Mesa police found the stolen vehicle at about 6:15 p.m. at an offramp of the northbound 73 Freeway near the 405 Freeway, Irvine police spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.

At that location a few minutes earlier, a woman carjacked a Toyota Prius, according to Costa Mesa police Lt. Vic Bakkila.

The Prius was found in Tustin, where just after 7 p.m. police responded to a report of an attempted carjacking near the intersection of Edinger Avenue and Jamboree Road. A woman knocked a motorist to the ground by hitting her on the head but was unable to take the car, police said. No weapon was used, authorities said.

The attacker fled on foot, according to authorities. Tustin police described her as Latino, age 18 to 23 with a medium to heavy build and wearing a black hat and black clothing.