Screwdriver threat to man with van in Basingstoke (From This is Hampshire)
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Mercedes vans targeted by thieves near Pets at Home and Sainsbury's, Basingstoke
1:04pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News
A MAN trying to protect his van was threatened with a screwdriver as he clung to a getaway car.
The incident was one of two involving Mercedes vans that took place on Saturday in the Hatch Warren area of Basingstoke.
At about 4pm a man was seen trying to break into a Mercedes Sprinter van parked in the Pets at Home car park. The owner ran across and disturbed the offender who then ran to a dark-coloured Renault Scenic which was nearby and got into the passenger seat. An accomplice was driving the Renault.
The owner of the van tried to stop the car by holding onto the window frame, as the window was down, but the man in the passenger seat lunged at him with a screwdriver and the pair then drove off in the Renault car.
Shortly before this incident, a man was seen trying to break into a Mercedes Vito van which was parked in the nearby Sainsbury’s car park. The man forced the door open and stole tools worth £700. He was then seen getting into a dark-coloured car.
PC Mark Pullman said: “These incidents happened in broad daylight in busy car parks. It is likely that someone may have seen something in relation to this.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Pullman at Basingstoke Police Station on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously.
