Suspect arrested in failed carjacking

Police said Richard Lawrence, 28, nearly got away with stealing a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro at gunpoint last Tuesday — except he couldn't drive a stick shift, and ended up running away instead.

Lawrence, of Hazel Street near 50th in West Philadelphia, was arrested on carjacking and robbery charges, among others, early Friday morning, Lt. John Walker of the Southwest Detective Division said.

Around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, a 43-year-old man was checking damage to the car's front bumper on Pine Street near 48th in West Philadelphia, and left the keys inside the car.

Lawrence allegedly pounced on the opportunity by walking up to the car and jumping in the driver's seat.

Lawrence told the victim that he was carrying a gun, then pointed it in his direction, Walker said. The victim backed away from the car as Lawrence prepared to drive away with it.

The Camaro stuttered and stumbled up the street — showing Lawrence's inexperience driving manual transmission vehicles — and suddenly came to a stop.

"Then he gets out of the car and runs away with the keys to the car in his possession," Walker said.

The victim called police, who launched an investigation involving uniformed and undercover officers, and gathering footage from nearby surveillance cameras in the neighborhood.

The victim was able to identify the suspect in a photo lineup, and Walker said cops arrested the man around 1 a.m. Friday.

Lawrence was taken to the Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility, and is being held on $75,000 bail. He'll appear in court on Jan. 6, according to court documents.

He was arrested on Sept. 12 on charges of assault and weapons violations, and was released from Curran Fromhold after posting 10 percent of his bail, which was set at $5,000, according to court documents. He was due to appear in court for that incident on Jan. 26.