WASHINGTON — A pregnant D.C. woman is seeking justice after her car was stolen in the middle of the day, and part of the theft was caught on video.
On Wednesday, Kat Eilers found herself being thrown from her own car attempting to stop two teenage thieves from stealing it. The theft happened around 4:30 p.m. on Huidekoper Place, Northwest.
“I’d say they were no older than 15," Eilers said. “They didn’t care. They clearly didn’t care about harming me.”
Eilers works as a personal trainer and said she was making trips moving equipment from her car into a client’s home. Her purse, with car keys inside, was left in the car.
“I wasn’t out of my car for more than two minutes before it happened," she said. "We were chit-chatting a little before I went back out to my car."
Eilers said that's when her client shouted, "oh my god, Kat, there are people in your car." Eilers said she ran outside and jumped on the side of the car as it was pulling away.
"I didn’t think about what I was doing and I ran out," said Eilers. "They had already got into my car and drove off with me attached to the side of it. I stuck my fingers into the window and I tucked my knees up into my chest and they started driving away. I looked around and tried to see and they were starting to swerve and I thought if I don't jump off the car right now, they’re going to drive me into another car."
Eilers decided it was better to jump off the car into an alley and roll away. She was left scraped, bruised and worried.
“Immediately when I stood up it was one of those into shock, I can’t believe what just happened," said Eilers. "I need to go to the hospital right now.”
She wanted to check on her injuries and her pregnancy, as she is currently 17 weeks pregnant.
Ultimately, Eilers said she's thankful things weren’t worse.
“Luckily, I didn’t have any head injuries, no broken bones, the baby’s fine," Eilers said. "I just have severe swelling and abrasions on my left foot.”
She said police haven’t been able to find her car, and at this point, Eilers said she’s not optimistic she’ll get it back. Eilers does hope her story serves as a cautionary tale that these types of crimes can happen anywhere.
“Honestly, it was just really incredible how brazen they were to go in the middle of the day when moms with babies in strollers are walking down the street, kids are coming home from school, and they just commit this crime in the middle of the day for anybody to see," Eilers said.
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