11:00 am, January 20, 2017
A SECOND car dealer has fallen victim to a carjacking, only 15 miles away from where a similar crime took place the previous day.
On Tuesday a car salesman was locked out of a VW Transporter 2.0 TDI while on a test drive in Wolvey, Warwickshire, before being hit with the van and seriously injured. Two men have since been arrested in connection with the robbery.
The following day a salesman from a garage in Fletchamstead Highway, Tile Hill, took a customer for a test drive in a BMW 5 Series and was put in the same situation. When they got out of the car to swap drivers, the victim was locked out and the supposed customer drove away.
The garage told the Coventry Telegraph: ‘The salesman got out of the car to swap drivers when the customer locked them out of the car and drove off.
‘It has left them very shaken, especially after what happened just a couple of days ago.
‘We have got an image on CCTV of someone who we think may hold some information.’
A police spokesman said: ‘Police were called to reports that a BMW 5 series had been stolen on Torrington Avenue, Tile Hill, at around 3.30pm on January 18.
‘Officers are looking into claims that the car was taken by a man posing as a potential buyer.’
Although shaken, the car salesman was not injured.
The victim of Tuesday’s incident in Wolvey, Warwickshire, was not so fortunate. After the suspect locked the victim out, he went to drive off and collided with the victim, dragging him about 10 metres down the road before heading for the nearby A5.
The victim suffered serious injuries to his leg, torso, head and back. He is currently in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery yesterday morning. At the moment Warwickshire Police and West Midlands Police are in contact about the two incidents, but they have yet to determine whether they are connected.
Detective Inspector Jon Belcher said: ‘This was an extremely serious incident that has left a man with horrendous injuries that are likely to change his life.
‘At this time we’re keeping an open mind as to whether the suspect intended to injure the victim or whether this was a robbery gone wrong. Either way, I believe someone out there has some information that will help us to identify the man responsible and I would urge that person to come forward.
‘If anyone has any information that could help police with their investigation they should call 101 and quote incident 176 of January 17.’
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