Carjackers held a driver at knifepoint and stole his van in broad daylight

Police officers are appealing for more information after armed thieves stole a man’s van in Tyldelsey.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

At around 4.30pm on Saturday 25 April 2020 police were called to a report of a robbery on Upton Road in Tyldelsey.

A man threatened the driver of a white transit van – a man in his 30s – with a knife and demanded his vehicle whilst he was stationary at the junction with Manchester Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two men got into the van and fled the scene. The vehicle was later recovered intact on Bracken Road in Leigh.

The incident occurred at the junction of Upton Road and Manchester RoadThe incident occurred at the junction of Upton Road and Manchester Road
The incident occurred at the junction of Upton Road and Manchester Road

The first offender is described as white, aged 30-32 with blue eyes, medium length blonde hair and a short blonde beard. He was wearing a T-shirt and carrying a kitchen knife.

The second offender is described as white, aged 35-37 with dark stubble and a British accent, wearing a dark baseball cap.

Both men were wearing red and yellow industrial gloves.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information they may have about the robbery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Detective Constable Sally Skellern, of GMP’s Wigan District, said: “This was a frightening and shocking ordeal which thankfully caused no major harm to the victim, but did leave them understandably distressed.

“A full investigation is now underway and we are asking anyone who witnessed the robbery itself or the vehicle being driven to where it was abandoned to contact police as a matter of urgency.

“This took place during a busy time of day and I am confident that there could be dash cam or CCTV footage of the men and the vehicle from around that time on Saturday 25 April 2020. I’d urge anyone who was around the Tyldelsey and Leigh area to check any recordings they may have of that day.

“However insignificant you think your footage may be, it could support our investigations and prove vital in our enquiries.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anyone who has any information about the robbery should call police on 0161 856 3034 quoting incident number 1962 of 25/4/20.

Details can also be passed on anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A message from the Editorial Director, Gillian Parkinson:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

But I also have an urgent plea to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy when you pop out for your essential shop or subscribing for delivery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves.

As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: "Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role."

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days.

We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE:

You can subscribe for delivery by contacting us at [email protected] or calling us on 0330 4033004 for details of a participating newsagent near you.