WATCH: Job candidate chases after stolen BMW during phone interview

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man says he was on the phone for a job interview Tuesday afternoon in east Charlotte when someone drove away with his car.

Police said the theft happened in broad daylight in a shopping center parking lot off Albemarle Road.

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The incident was captured on camera by a nearby auto shop.

"My first reaction was just disbelief. This can't be happening,” said Jesse, the driver, who didn't want to use his last name.

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Jesse told Channel 9 that when he got a phone interview for a potential job, he pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car to take the call and left his keys in the car.

"I'm a pacer when I'm on the phone, so I was just pacing around the vehicle,” Jessie said.

Twenty minutes into the call, Jessie said he turned around and saw his car being driven out of the shopping center parking lot.

The surveillance video shows the black BMW leave the parking lot, followed by Jesse trying to run after it.

Jessie said the phone interview came to an abrupt end.

"Kind of a crazy story for my potential employer,” he said.

Jesse said he immediately called the police.

"The last thing I was expecting to happen was being carjacked, but that's exactly what happened,” he said.

Jesse didn’t get a good description of the person who took his car, but said he learned a valuable lesson.

"If I could do it all over again, I would take the keys out of the car,” he said. “I honestly don't think this would have happened, so if there's a lesson to be learned, take common-sense precautions.”

Even though Jesse’s car was stolen, he said he could be receiving another opportunity in exchange.

"I'm hoping if there is a silver line in this experience, I might get a good job out of it,” he said.

Jesse’s car hasn’t been located and no arrests have been made.

Police told him they usually have a good success rate of recovering stolen cars.

Cox Media Group