Newspaper deliverywoman stops to help motorists, but they steal her car

A 37-year-old newspaper deliverywoman was robbed at knifepoint after she stopped to help what appeared to be a stranded motorist at 5:15 a.m. Monday.

The Thousand Oaks resident saw a Toyota Camry stopped in one of the traffic lanes on Moorpark Road near Rolling Oaks Drive.

"A man dressed in black, wearing a jacket with the hood up, asked her for help," Detective Eric Buschow said.

When she stopped, she was confronted at knifepoint and forced to give up her black 2008 Nissan Xterra with California license number 6DFA104. According to a police report, the man entered the driver's seat of the Nissan.

A second person got out of the Toyota and also got into her car.

The first person, age 17 to 19, was described as a white male, 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a stocky build. He had a shaved head. The second person was described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 inches, with a thin build and dark curly hair. He was also wearing dark clothing with a hooded sweatshirt and the hood pulled up.

The victim, physically unharmed, remained on the roadside as the two drove away, leaving the Toyota at the scene.

The thieves then drove down a dead-end street, turned around and headed back toward the victim.

"She thought they were coming back for her and so she hid," Buschow said.

The men turned around several times and returned again toward the area where they'd left the victim as she continued to hide.

"I don't know if they were coming back for her or were just not familiar with the area and were lost," Buschow said.

When the two drove from Moorpark onto the 101 Freeway, the victim flagged down another motorist who stopped to help her. The assisting motorist drove her to a gas station at Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard where she called police.

"This is unfortunate. She was trying to do something good. It's a judgment call. In an ideal world, we should help each other," Buschow said.

The police have been unable to contact the owner of the Toyota. That car had not been reported stolen, Buschow said.

According to officials, the men are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who locates the vehicle or the car thieves is asked to call 911 immediately. Anyone with information about the robbery or the thieves is asked to contact the sheriff's department's major crimes investigators at (805) 494-8201.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 in reward for information that leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against those responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call isn't recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at (805) 494TALK (8255).