Three Suspects Sought For 'Distraction' Theft

Victim's bag stolen from car whilst he changed a flat tyre

A local resident contacted ChiswickW4.com after becoming a victim of a distraction theft. He believes he was targeted after withdrawing a large amount of cash out at Nat West bank on Chiswick High Road to pay his car mechanic.

He said, "I was then clearly followed from the bank to my meeting with my mechanic in Essex Place, near the entrance to Sainsbury's car park, as the perpetrators could not have known in advance where I was going."

He continued, "My mechanic arrived in my car, which he had been servicing that day, and I got into the passenger seat.

"The first suspect knocked on the window of the car asking for directions to 'Chiswick centre'. We told him where the High Road is but as we began a U-turn he knocked again saying he could hear air escaping from a tyre. We stopped and checked and the rear passenger side tyre was deflating. At that moment we thought we had gone over a nail etc but later we found the knife stab in the wall of the tyre.

"We then drove, aiming to get back to my mechanic's workshop but the wheel was rapidly deflating so we turned into Colonial Drive off Bollo Lane where we stopped to change the tyre."

Whilst they were changing the tyre, they were approached by a man and a woman who asked about the vehicle and then for directions to Croydon.

Shortly after they left the scene, the victim discovered that he had his bag containing various personal items including a driving licence, a wallet, credit cards and the £450 cash he had withdrawn from the bank had been stolen from inside the car.

"It was definitely not an opportunist crime," he said. "The moral of the tale is not merely that I was remiss leaving the bag in the car while changing the wheel, it is also to be aware that such gangs are operating in this way."

The events took place on Monday 5th July around 17.28.

Ealing Police are dealing with the incident and are looking for three suspects:

• Suspect one is described as a man of Eastern European origin, around 30 years old, smartly dressed.
• Suspect two is described as a man of South East Asian origin, around 30 years old.
• Suspect three is described as a woman of South East Asian origin, with poor command of English.

Police have advised members of the public to keep all their personal belongings with them at all times.

If you have any information relating to this incident please call police on 0300 123 1212. Alternatively, call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

July 14, 2010