Police on the hunt for man who carjacked victim at gas pump in Huntersville

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A man was carjacked while pumping gas in the middle of the day, and now police in Huntersville are searching for the suspect.

Channel 9′s Erika Jackson learned that it all started with the suspect coming up to the victim and asking him a question.

“If a person comes up to you and says, ‘Sir, can I speak to you?’ very polite, you think the person may need some kind of help,” said Joe Wilson. “You don’t think the person is going to attack.”

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Wilson was filling up at the QuikTrip on Statesville Road near Sam Furr Road on Monday when the suspect approached him.

“He started to push me, I started pushing him back, so we pushed each other and he pushed me back to the point where he could actually get in my vehicle,” Wilson told Jackson on Wednesday.

The Huntersville Police Department says officers saw the suspect driving Wilson’s stolen GMC Yukon south on Statesville Road onto Gilead Road, then onto Interstate 77. Officers said they tried to stop him as he sped off and exited onto Interstate 485. Police said the suspect also drove across a median.

HPD said at that point, officers decided not to chase the car any further so they could protect other drivers.

Wilson told officers the suspect got away with his keys, wallet, and $1,000 in cash.

“I’m changing locks at my home and garage door opener, all this kind of stuff. And I had credit cards, debit cards,” Wilson said.

HPD got surveillance photos of the suspect outside of the store.

Wilson said he’s glad it didn’t end any worse.

“I was able to walk away where a lot of people wouldn’t, may not have been able to walk away in situations like this. So I’m thankful for that,” Wilson said.

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QuikTrip said in a statement that it’s working with law enforcement during the investigation and added that safety is its top priority.

HPD is asking anyone with information on the missing GMC Yukon or the suspect to call investigators at 704-464-5400.

(VIDEO: 13-year-old, 14-year-old arrested after armed carjacking, pursuit, CMPD says)