These “sliders” most often target women driving large SUVs. When the customer gets out of their car to pay for their gasoline, the perpetrator opens the passenger door and takes as many valuables from the person before running away.
After the crime began taking place at gas stations around the world, police officers noted that the victims were most often women. They believe they make for easier targets since they’re more likely to have a purse or pocketbook sitting on the passenger seat of their vehicle, making the crime all the more convenient.
Police officers coined the term “sliders” and “sliding” as a description because these criminals are often able to “slide” away with the victim never the wiser. They’ve also noted that SUVs are often the easiest targets, because the thieves are able to duck low enough to not be seen.
Sliding was first reported in the United Kingdom, though it quickly became a worldwide crime. In fact, recently, authorities in the United States have reported such cases happening in Miami, Florida, Houston, Texas, and Washington D.C.
“It happened in a matter of 15 seconds and it’s just amazing. These guys are pros,” a Dallas, Texas, gas station owner recalled to reporters, while mentioning how common sliding has become in his area. Over the past couple months, his gas stations have been targeted six times!
