Test drive car thief pushed owner away and then sped off - The Redditch Standard

Test drive car thief pushed owner away and then sped off

Redditch Editorial 13th Oct, 2015 Updated: 18th Oct, 2016   0

A WOULD-BE car buyer pushed the owner away from the vehicle as he jumped into the driver’s seat for a ‘test drive’ before speeding away from the scene.

Police are now appealing for witnesses who may have seen the thief, described as an Asian man, prior to the robbery or spotted the red Volkswagen UP with the registration NL13 OMV, speeding erratically towards Birmingham along the A435.

The incident happened at around 1pm on Friday (October 9) when the thief arrived at the property in Johns Close, claiming he was interested in an advertisement placed by the homeowner who was trying to sell her car.

The victim had previously spoken to thief on the telephone.




After viewing the vehicle, the suspect asked the woman to start the engine and requested a test drive.

He got into the driver’s seat, put it in gear and started to drive off – pushing the woman away as she tried to get into the passenger seat.


The offender sped off  but appears to have been caught on camera whilst racing along the A435 towards Birmingham.

He is described as an Asian man,  and called himself Ali, and is believed to be in his mid to late 20s.

He is of a slim build, around 6ft 3ins tall with a well trimmed beard or facial hair and has short cropped hair.

A witness told police she saw the same man around 30 minutes prior to the robbery, parked near Johns Close in a 2011 white Mercedes CDi car.

At the time he was in the driver’s seat with two other men.

Anyone with any information regarding the Mercedes or the VW UP, or who may have witnessed any suspicious behaviour around the area during this time, should call police on 101 and quote incident 182 of October 9.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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