Good Samaritan carjacks Bristol woman
A Bristol office worker was carjacked by a Good Samaritan after he tricked her into thinking one of her car's wheels was about to fall off.
Jessica King, 19, had just parked her car opposite St Mary Redcliffe Church when a man knocked on her window. He told her the back wheel of her R-reg Vauxhall Corsa was loose.
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Getting off his mountain bike, he persuaded her to get the wrench out the boot to tighten the wheel nuts and then said he'd "test drive" her car.
The filing clerk from Horfield, who was on her way to work at Beachcroft solicitors in nearby Portwall Place, innocently handed over her keys.
"He kept saying 'It's for your safety' and I stupidly trusted him," the former Monks Park A-level student told the Bristol Post.
"First of all I thought he looked a bit dodgy, but then I started to think he just wanted to help."
She stood watching helplessly as he sped off towards Queen Square in her blue Corsa, leaving behind his bike.
In the car's passenger footwell was her handbag, containing her digital camera with sentimental photos of her 94-year-old great-grandmother's birthday.
They are Miss King's last memories of her aging relative, who sadly died not long after the celebrations.
In a carrier bag in the boot was her friend's Playstation console, which she had been leant together with games and DVDs.
Miss King, who is studying to be a legal executive and hope to one day train to become a lawyer, added: "After he was in the car, driving away, there was nothing I could do.
"I'd only put the Playstation in the boot that morning to return to my friend after work.
"I have to get to work early so I can get a free parking spot on the street, rather than paying for the car park.
"I had just parked and all of sudden he was knocking on my window saying my back wheel was wobbling as I drove up. I took the keys out the ignition to get the wrench.
"He showed me the wheel with two lose bolts, but in hindsight I think he probably undid them before he showed me.
"He then said 'I'm just going to test drive it'. He took it up the road, and I was thinking 'oh my god, he's nicked it', but he came back.
"But then he drove off again, leaving his bike behind."
Miss King had to stop a passerby to call the police, because her mobile phone was also in her handbag.
She paid £1,300 for the 10-year-old car when she bought it three years ago with money she earned from her Saturday job at Clinton Cards.
Police said they were looking for a white man in his 20s, who has sandy brown shaved hair. He was wearing dirty white trainers, jogging bottoms and a jumper when he took the car.
His bike his being checked to see if any DNA or fingerprints can lead officers to the carjacker.
PC Nick King, beat manager for the area, said: "We are checking CCTV in the area and would appeal to anyone who saw this man acting suspiciously shortly before 7am on Thursday in Phippen Lane to get in touch with us immediately."
Witnesses to the incident, or anyone who has seen a blue Vauxhall Corsa registration: R302 LPC, should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or ring police on 0845 456 7000.
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by Jkayy
Wednesday, August 03 2011, 10:59PM
“errrr... not bein funny but the bloke who wrote the article twisted a LOT of what I said and I didn't give the keys away, I had them with me and as I went to take the steering lock off so that he could roll it backwards and forwards he pushed my hand away, started the car and drove off. and all of you who think you're funny - I was a 19 year old girl who didn't know much about cars and got scared when a bloke told me my wheels were dangerous! Yes I can see in hindsight now that it was stupid but lets face it, not everyones perfect are they? CUI\ITS!!!”
by Lord Ponsoby-Smythe, Stoke Bishop
Sunday, February 01 2009, 3:07PM
“Well it seems that I too have been caught out by this same fraudster, as I was driving my new Bentley Continental near Temple Meads when a car behind kept toot-tooting me, so I pulled over. A scruffy lad who matches the description of the one in the article got out of an 'R' reg Vauxhall Corsa and told me my spare tyre was wobbling. As I have no idea what a spare tyre is I asked him if he could fix it, but because I'm not stupid I made sure I had the keys to his car, before I let him take mine for a test-drive after he fixed whatever-it-was. He fixed it quickly so he must be very clever. I'm still waiting for him to return my lovely Bentley, and he should know where I live as I left all my banking details on the passenger seat, along with all my house (and my second home) keys. At least I was able to continue my journey in his ratty old Corsa. Actually it was quite fun, and very easy to park, compared with my big Bentley ;-)”
by Adrian, Bristol
Sunday, February 01 2009, 2:36PM
“When you get your new bank cards give me a ring I'll check them out and make sure they work in the ATM for you first
How Thick are some people”
by Helen, Bristol
Sunday, February 01 2009, 2:34PM
“Is it april? This could pass as a really good april fools joke..especially with policeman being called NICK KING!!! were we short of news or something today?”
by Ex Monks Park A-level student., Dunrunnin, Letsbee Avenue, Upper Horfield
Sunday, February 01 2009, 12:32PM
“The description of the cyclist sounds familiar to me. I was jogging near St Mary Redcliffe recently and was overtaken by another jogger. He stopped and offered to swap trainers as his were faster than mine, he looked a bit dodgy but I thought he just wanted to help. He sprinted off with my new size 10 Adidas, and left me with an unmatching, grubby pair of size eights.”
by Laurence, Bristol
Sunday, February 01 2009, 10:21AM
“Easy to have hindsight, we all make mistakes.
Hope you get your car back soon!”
by Anon, Bristol
Sunday, February 01 2009, 12:41AM
“Jesus jess how could you be so dumb... "He took it up the road, and I was thinking 'oh my god, he's nicked it', but he came back." Not only did you let him do it once and nearly crapped yourself that he'd stolen your car but you let him drive off again!
sure there wasnt an xbox, a nintendo, jewellery, a laptop and maybe just a few thousand pounds worth of designer clothes in the boot with that playstation too jess?
This whole story is a bit unfortunate but the fact you went to monks park tops it all off!!
Dear oh dear...”
by Anna, United Kingdom
Saturday, January 31 2009, 10:42PM
“JESS!!!!! i cannot believe its you!!.. what u gna dooooo?!! x”
by connorstarr, bristol
Saturday, January 31 2009, 10:35PM
“jess u r so gulabale u silly billy
lol:)”
by Martin, Clifton.
Saturday, January 31 2009, 10:13PM
“There was clearly intent to steal, and even if the car is returned, there is still "Taken without consent", possibly driving without insurance and other crimes. If the car is damaged in any way it will be criminal damage.
Still it sounds to me like Jessica got the better part of the deal, now she can keep fit whilst commuting, won't have to arrive early to get a parking space, and will save lots of money on fuel, VED etc.”