Driver flung in air fending off car thief
4th May 2006
Standing in the middle of the road, and in the path of the oncoming car, its owner tries desperately to prevent the vehicle being stolen.
© PA
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Other motorists seem oblivious as the stolen car speeds towards its owner.
© PA
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The car collides with the 56-year-old.
© PA
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The victim's body starts twisting as it hits the bodywork.
© PA
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He is flung into the air as the driver races off.
© PA
This is the moment a man was flung into the air as he tried to stop a thief stealing his car.
The shocking pictures, which you can see here, were released by police today in a bid to catch the thief.
The 56-year-old victim had stepped out of his Vauxhall Astra to use recycling bins in a supermarket car park in Liverpool when the thief struck.
He jumped into the driver seat and used the key, which was still in the ignition, to start the engine.
The owner realised what was happening and tried to block the car by standing in its path and raising his hands.
The thief did not stop but ploughed into the man, knocking him around six feet into the air, before speeding away.
The victim, who has not been named, was kept in hospital overnight and needed treatment for whiplash and minor injuries.
It happened shortly before midday on Sunday in the car park of a Tesco store in Mossley Hill, Liverpool.
The car was found abandoned in the Halewood area of the city two days later.
Detective Chief Inspector Nikki Holland, of Merseyside Police, said: "I'd like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public to switch off their engines and lock car doors when possible to try to stop such incidents occurring.
"Although uncommon, there are opportunist thieves who will take advantage of situations like these."
She appealed for information about the offender, who is described as being about 24-years-old, white, with fair coloured short hair.
dailymail.co.uk
4th May 2006
Standing in the middle of the road, and in the path of the oncoming car, its owner tries desperately to prevent the vehicle being stolen.
© PA
------------------------
Other motorists seem oblivious as the stolen car speeds towards its owner.
© PA
----------------------
The car collides with the 56-year-old.
© PA
-----------------------
The victim's body starts twisting as it hits the bodywork.
© PA
-----------------------
He is flung into the air as the driver races off.
© PA
This is the moment a man was flung into the air as he tried to stop a thief stealing his car.
The shocking pictures, which you can see here, were released by police today in a bid to catch the thief.
The 56-year-old victim had stepped out of his Vauxhall Astra to use recycling bins in a supermarket car park in Liverpool when the thief struck.
He jumped into the driver seat and used the key, which was still in the ignition, to start the engine.
The owner realised what was happening and tried to block the car by standing in its path and raising his hands.
The thief did not stop but ploughed into the man, knocking him around six feet into the air, before speeding away.
The victim, who has not been named, was kept in hospital overnight and needed treatment for whiplash and minor injuries.
It happened shortly before midday on Sunday in the car park of a Tesco store in Mossley Hill, Liverpool.
The car was found abandoned in the Halewood area of the city two days later.
Detective Chief Inspector Nikki Holland, of Merseyside Police, said: "I'd like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public to switch off their engines and lock car doors when possible to try to stop such incidents occurring.
"Although uncommon, there are opportunist thieves who will take advantage of situations like these."
She appealed for information about the offender, who is described as being about 24-years-old, white, with fair coloured short hair.
dailymail.co.uk
