Kidnap Drama on East London Streets Ends in High-Speed Police Chase
Chaos erupted on Wednesday, 16 December, when a man was snatched from a vehicle on Barwick Road, E7, and shoved into a blue Citroen Berlingo van that sped off with him inside. Police believe another car may have been involved and want to track down that vehicle urgently.
High-Speed Pursuit Turns Dangerous
Officers launched an immediate hunt, spotting the van and starting a police pursuit. The chase got hairy when the van slammed into a police car, damaging it but luckily injuring no officers.
The pursuit raced onto the A12, where the van took a terrifying wrong-way trip along the busy carriageway before screeching to a halt near St Leonards Road, Poplar, at around noon.
Two Arrested, Driver at Large
After a short foot chase, cops nabbed two men on suspicion of kidnap and traffic offences. They’re now held in an east London police station. But the van’s driver escaped on foot and remains on the run as police hunt for him.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was found injured in the back of the van. Thankfully, his wounds aren’t life-threatening.
Police Urge Witnesses to Come Forward
“It was sheer luck this didn’t end in serious injuries,” said Detective Sergeant David Doig of the Met’s North East Command.
“The van’s reckless driving on a busy midday road nearly put the public and officers at grave risk. Several motorists stopped when they saw the van driving the wrong way on the A12. I want to hear from anyone who witnessed any part of this terrifying ordeal.”
If you saw the kidnap, the chase, or the van stopped on the A12, especially if you’ve got dash-cam footage, contact police immediately.
Call 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote reference 3044/16DEC.
