Drivers warned of fake police patrols after Sheffield woman is tied up at knifepoint

A SHEFFIELD woman endured a terrifying ordeal when she was duped by two knife-wielding thugs who posed as police officers, before dragging her out of her car, tying her up and assaulting her.
Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, where a woman was assaultedSpotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, where a woman was assaulted
Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, where a woman was assaulted

The 45-year-old managed to escape her attackers who cut her chest and sliced her bra off during the frightening abduction ordeal.

The incident began when a silver car with blue flashing lights indicated for her to pullover during the early hours of Saturday morning.

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The victim stopped and was approached by a man wearing a high-vis jacket. But she realised he was not a police officer when he saw he was wearing a woolly hat and she attempted to wind her window up.

Woodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assaultWoodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assault
Woodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assault

The woman, who did not want to be named, said she had “never been so terrified”.

Speaking of her horrendous ordeal in Sheffield’s Gleadless Valley, the woman said: “He managed to get his arm inside the window before it was up.

“Then the two of them dragged me out of my car and put wrap-ties around my wrists before pushing me into their car and driving to some woodland.

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“Every time I screamed they put their hands over my mouth and I could smell cannabis.”

Woodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assaultWoodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assault
Woodland near to Spotswood Place, Gleadless, Sheffield, the scene of the assault

When the vile men reached their destination, they dragged their victim out of her vehicle before throwing her to the ground.

The brave woman said: “They had a knife with them and they sliced my bra off. I’ve got cuts down to my belly button.

“It was a horrible thing to go through.”

The woman was able to escape her attackers in Spotswood Place, Gleadless, when a car drove along the road with its headlights on and the two men stopped what they were doing.

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The victim said: “I just ran and ran and managed to get away.”

The perpetrators were speaking to each other in a foreign language which the victim did not recognise.

The men are described as being aged between 40 and 50 and of mixed race. The driver was wearing a high-visibility jacket and the car has been described as possibly a VW Golf with blue flashing lights in the front grill.

Describing the vicious attack and understandably “concerning”, Detective Inspector Graham Stead has sought to reassure the public.

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He said: “We appreciate this is an extremely concerning incident and we can assure members of the public that we are following a number of lines of enquiry to find and arrest these men.

“We are treating this incident as an utmost priority and while we are in the early stages of the investigation, we have a large number of resources allocated to this case.

“We would appeal to anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning who saw or heard anything suspicious to contact us.”

Detective Inspector Stead has also advised members of the public to be vigilant.

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He said: “If you are requested to stop by a police vehicle, the car will be appropriately marked and if you are in any doubt pull over in a safe and public place.

“Always ask to see identification and always call 999 in an emergency.”

Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to contact police on 101.