“This man walks right up to my car and he’s like, ‘Come check out my car, it’s nice, it’s a Lexus, you like it?’ Like it’s my car! Though, I didn’t react to that, because that would have given away that it’s my car, although I think he already knows.”

After that, Haley started feeling uncomfortable, so she went to a nearby store and asked for help. She had to make sure that the guy wasn't still creeping in the parking lot.

“I then went across the street to this TJ Maxx. I got help, I made sure he wasn’t still out here.”

Right after that, she found the water bottle on her car's hood.

“When I came back out there is a water bottle on my hood. I don’t want that to correlate but that’s never happened to me. I just wanted to say be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially if you’re a woman, be careful out there.”

Haley’s original TikTok video in full:

@haleywestco

#saftey #ohio #cincinnati #becareful

♬ original sound - Haley West

Haley’s situation got Elle's attention so she felt compelled to explain it

Elle revealed what the intention behind the water bottle could be:

“This is a tactic used by traffickers and kidnappers to get you to exit your vehicle and take whatever is on top of the car.”

Elle's advice is to immediately drive to a police station if you ever feel threatened. A second option would be to go to an auto-body shop so they can check if there's a tracker on the bottom of your vehicle.

“If you feel extremely threatened by a person who’s following you, drive to a police station or an auto shop, they can look underneath your car and see if there are trackers there. Yes, believe it or not, GPS trackers can be put on the bottom of your car and they can give out your location for a certain amount of time. Never go straight home.”

GPS trackers are a real thing, so don't think you're paranoid.

“Traffickers don’t care how old you are, they don’t care what you’re wearing they don’t care about your size, if they want you, they’ll try to get you. Always be aware of your surroundings, try to go shop with a friend, I know it’s hard during COVID, keep pepper spray or a protective device on you. Please stay safe,” Elle warned.

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