A Romanian truck driver was left standing at the edge of the road in his underpants last week after thieves lured him from his cab and drove off with his load of wine. The gang told the sleeping driver something was wrong with his vehicle and when he left the cab to inspect it they leapt into the cab and drove off.
The hijacking happened at 4am on Friday 14 September at Hams Hall on Junction 4 of the M6. Police found the truck abandoned, complete with its load, shortly afterwards.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Round from Truckpol says the hijacking was similar to recent attacks - the police believed the same gang may be responsible. One of those incidents happened at the end of August when a Polish driver was persuaded to leave his cab at Witton, just off Junction 6 of the M6. He was also left at the side of the road as his truck with its load of copper piping was driven away.
DCI Round says that in both cases a silver Subaru was seen in the area. Truckpol has also appealed for information about the theft of a load and burning of a trailer at Hopwood Services on the M42 during the night of 5/6 September. Thieves stole part of a load of vacuum cleaners before setting fire to the trailer and the remainder of its load.
The driver, who again was Polish, was asleep in his cab during the theft but was able to detach his tractor unit when warned about the fire by another driver.
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