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Pensioner fights off car-jacker

7:31am Tuesday 4th March 2008

comment Comments (30)   Have your say »


A HAVE-a-go hero pensioner fought off a man who tried to car-jack him.

The Orpington man, 70, who asked not to be named, was driving his Ford Focus in Wickham Way, Park Langley, when he was rammed by another car, possibly a dark blue or black Vauxhall Corsa.

When he got out, with his keys, to exchange insurance details, the other car's passenger jumped into the retired insurance broker's vehicle and tried to hot-wire it.

He dragged the man, who was around 6ft tall, black, and slim, out of the car by the arm, and a brief fight took place, leaving the man with a cut nose and grazed knees.

The other car then drove away.

The man said: "People have said I've been brave and people have said I've been stupid. It never crossed my mind he might have a knife or a gun, or that the other bloke might come to his assistance.

"As far as I am concerned, they are just scum. I am just sorry I didn't inflict more damage on him.

"When he was still in the car I could have busted his arm."

Anybody with information should contact the police on 020 8284 9969.

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Mark, Dartford says...
8:10am Tue 4 Mar 08

Well done to him!

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anita, dartford says...
8:43am Tue 4 Mar 08

I salute you sir. These people are nothing more than thieving scumbags

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Steve, Kent says...
9:39am Tue 4 Mar 08

Well done the old fella, although I feel that the car-thieves could sue him for loss of earnings and emotional trauma.

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Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott, The Study says...
10:01am Tue 4 Mar 08

This man is undoubtedly brave but his decision was a stupid one.

He is lucky we are reading about how pleased he is with himself; we could instead be reading his obituary.

Have the police not warned people not to 'have a go'?


Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott

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anita, dartford says...
10:26am Tue 4 Mar 08

I agree with you Erastus, but it must be hard not to protect your belongings he probably worked all his life to be able to afford a car and along comes a scumbag to take it all away from you and probably smash it up, and no doubt hasn't done a days work in his life. Personally being a woman I would of let them have the car.

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Bromgal, Kent says...
10:42am Tue 4 Mar 08

Although I agree that this 'hero' could have sustained serious injury, the fact is he didn't. Bravo that man.

Perhaps if there was a mass uprising and more people fought back against the scummy thieves they might think twice before attempting to rob us!

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Pink Kitten, London says...
11:42am Tue 4 Mar 08

This story had a happy ending fortunately. But when you hear about cases like Gary Newlove it does put you off 'having a go' look what happened to him and his family? Tragic!

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Hon.Brummie, ex local says...
12:10pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Thinking after the event, I have to agree it was a bit stupid to "have a go", but how many would think of that while it is happening,
you do not just say, Oh yes, and here are my house keys too and the address", when something like this happens you do not think rationaly, its all on the spur of the moment. He may well be thinking now how lucky he was, he could have been killed, who knows. On the other hand he me be thinking, how dare he take what is mine and saved for.
Any way what ever Good luck to you, and well done sir

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ClockWatcher, Welling says...
12:54pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Good for him.

I would have done the same if my kids would have been in the car.

There is no way one would know how they would react in any given situation, all I know is that I'd fight to the death to protect my children.

If I had been on my own, I might not have bothered afterall I have fully comp insurance - and I'd be no use to anyone if I ended up dead.

Luckily all turned out ok for this chap.

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The 'Original' Big Mo, Kent says...
12:58pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Well done to that man, if a few more of us stuck up for what's right,these yobs might think twice! And i fully agree with Bromgal,maybe a little uprising might sort this country out, get rid of the yob culture, if we all acted together, more strength in numbers, who's up for that?? Lets start a revolution!!

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jayjay, here says...
12:58pm Tue 4 Mar 08

GREY POWER

Go GO GO

About time decent honest people started standing up to the scum of this world.

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jayjay, here says...
1:00pm Tue 4 Mar 08

GREY POWER

Go GO GO

About time decent honest people started standing up to the scum of this world.

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Steve O, Beckenham says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08

The car jackers must be thick - why ram a car you are attempting to thieve? What do they teach these young toerags in jail these days? Seriously folks, Wickham Way is a very nice road but poorly lit, so keep your wits about you when driving through there.

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Hon.Brummie, ex local says...
1:25pm Tue 4 Mar 08

The only good thing about the scum yobs of today is, They will be the PREY for the scum yobs (could be even worse then) of tomorrow, bloody shame we will not be around to see it. What goes round comes around.

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mooly, plumstead says...
3:04pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Shame he wasnt packing a 45!!!! boom and the scums dead

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anita, dartford says...
3:56pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Steve O from Beckenham. Im sure I ready somewhere that they purposely ram your car or shunt it so you get out of the car to take a look, that is when the scumbags nick your car or nick your wallet or handbag. Its a ploy to make you stop.

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Let's Agree To Differ, says...
9:33pm Tue 4 Mar 08

Good on him and I'm glad he wasn't hurt.

Sometimes we just react to things and don't think. There have been times when I have challenged yobs and others where I have turned a blind eye just in case I came off worse. Is it right that we should think that way? We should protect our, property, our families and our right to walk the street freely. Interesting documentary about ASBO kids last night. The kids said that if they were challenged more often they wouldn't do it. They said they were free to do what they wanted because everyone was hiding in their houses too scared to do anything. Out of the mouths of babes.

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jen, bromley says...
8:18am Wed 5 Mar 08

Go Grandad Go!! If everyone was like him youths would think again!

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a, here says...
12:15pm Wed 5 Mar 08

jen wrote:
Go Grandad Go!! If everyone was like him youths would think again!
Stupid ageist comment.

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steve o, says...
7:10pm Wed 5 Mar 08

should have rammed the blokes head into a lamp-post. His muvver must be very proud, yet again, maybe he was intending to nick a car to give his muvver for mothers day. Ignorant, thieving scumbag.

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vern, England & Proud to Speak it as my ONLY language unlike all the foreigners who are getting in and poncing off the taxpayer............ says...
9:38pm Wed 5 Mar 08

as i said yesterday a neighbour of mine was almost carjacked in west wickham but he coshed the geezer with a mini baseball bat he carries for protection and the scum was taken to casualty with a fractured skull.the old bill shook my neighbours hand and congratulated him.

i call this proper policing.

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The 'Original' Big Mo, Kent says...
1:16pm Fri 7 Mar 08

Well done to your neighbour Vern, that's the way to go, lets claim our streets back from these scum bags!

'Proud to Speak it as my ONLY language unlike all the foreigners who are getting in and poncing off the taxpayer'...........
NEVER A TRUER WORD SPOKEN Vern, I Solute you Sir

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vern, England & Proud to Speak it as my ONLY language unlike all the foreigners who are getting in and poncing off the taxpayer............ says...
9:22pm Fri 7 Mar 08

The 'Original' Big Mo wrote:
Well done to your neighbour Vern, that's the way to go, lets claim our streets back from these scum bags!

'Proud to Speak it as my ONLY language unlike all the foreigners who are getting in and poncing off the taxpayer'...........
NEVER A TRUER WORD SPOKEN Vern, I Solute you Sir
thank you very much

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chris, Bromley says...
8:59pm Sat 8 Mar 08

Sue him??
that guy rammed him and just tried to steal his car and your worried about him losing earnings?? what planet are you on??
Well done to the old bloke and i guess the other guy will think twice before trying that again :)

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n, catford says...
10:34am Tue 11 Mar 08

vern you sound pathetic, people like u make me cringe when you say " those foreigners" i can tell u are rascist

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CHRIS, BROMLEY says...
5:23pm Tue 11 Mar 08

GOOD ON HIM!! ABOUT TIME THESE OLD PEOPLE STICK UP FOR THEMSELF AGAINST THESE YOUNG SELFISH PEOPLE WITH NO RESPECT!! WELL DONE!!

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Vern, West Wickham says...
6:59pm Tue 11 Mar 08

n wrote:
vern you sound pathetic, people like u make me cringe when you say " those foreigners" i can tell u are rascist
You are what is wrong with GREAT Britain today.Your type assume wrongly that everyone who uses sentances like I have are automatically racist.There is nothing wrong with being PATRIOTIC.

Who else BUT foreigners are coming to our country and Poncing off the state ? ( and I don know that there are scummmy
British People born here who do the same but we need to deal with them and WE DONT NEED MORE)

I once lived in Catford and I cringed too.

Now off you go and read your Guardian paper and hug a hoodie you liberal bean eater !!

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Anna, Belvedere says...
10:28pm Thu 13 Mar 08

Well said Vern!!!!

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Concerned, Bickley says...
1:52am Mon 17 Mar 08

n wrote:
vern you sound pathetic, people like u make me cringe when you say " those foreigners" i can tell u are rascist
I agree with n!!
Who gave Vern the right to speak like that? these foreigners- what a brilliant example you are for the young people of today! its people like you that are the cause for racism- i hope to god that your not a parent and are teaching your children to speak like you.


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Vern, West Wickam says...
6:08pm Mon 17 Mar 08

Concerned wrote:
n wrote:
vern you sound pathetic, people like u make me cringe when you say " those foreigners" i can tell u are rascist
I agree with n!!
Who gave Vern the right to speak like that? these foreigners- what a brilliant example you are for the young people of today! its people like you that are the cause for racism- i hope to god that your not a parent and are teaching your children to speak like you.

Another Bean eater....
You looney liberals assume wrongly that anyone who uses the word FOREIGNER is a racist.

You thru your ignorance show yourself a a proper NUMPTY

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