Thieves take van with plumber still in the back

Police in Leeds were today continuing to search for the offender who eventually jumped from the moving van, leaving it to crash with tradesman Steven Windle clinging on inside.

The opportunist thief snatched the keys from the open back doors and sped off.

Mr Windle, 27, said: “I didn’t know if I was being kidnapped or what. I just thought ‘I need to get the van back’.”

The plumber had been working on a house in New Road Side, Rawdon, on Tuesday when he got into the back of his van to look for a tool.

“Literally about five seconds later someone’s got in the front and set off wheel-spinning,” he said.

“He was driving like an absolute lunatic. He kept slamming the brakes on, trying to get me to fly out.”

When the van came to a halt, Mr Windle got out, but got back in as the thief set off again.

Then the tradesman used a crowbar to hit a wooden divider between the back and front seats, causing the driver to jump out at Well Hill in Yeadon.

The van sped up grass banking, went through a wall and hit a parked car.

West Yorkshire Police said enquiries were ongoing. Witnesses are asked to call 101 with information.