Car Thief Jailed After Stealing Elderly Woman’s Car With Her Inside
David Stephenson, a man with no fixed address, has been handed a hefty jail term of 8 years and 6 months. He was found guilty of kidnap, motor vehicle theft, dangerous driving, and driving without a license.
Cold January Horror: Elderly Woman Stolen Along With Car
On 6 January 2024, police received a frantic call from the daughter of an 89-year-old woman whose car had been stolen—with her mother still inside.
The woman had left her car engine running to keep the heating on while she nipped into the shops. Stephenson, undeterred by the passenger’s vulnerable state—her mother is blind and suffers from dementia—jumped into the driver’s seat and sped off.
High-Speed Chase Ends in Safe Rescue
Specialist officers from the Roads Policing Unit quickly launched a pursuit, aware of the serious risk to the elderly passenger. Thanks to their quick thinking and calm under pressure, they brought the vehicle to a safe stop, detained Stephenson, and reunited the terrified woman with her daughter.
Police Praise Officers for Life-Saving Response
Chief Inspector Matt Jackson said, “This must have been terrifying for the woman. She wouldn’t have known what was happening given her blindness and dementia. I can’t even imagine her fear.”
“I’m proud of my officers who kept calm and brought the vehicle to a safe stop swiftly. Their swift response reunited the woman safely with her daughter. It could have ended very differently.”
