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Van driver rammed off the M40 so he could be robbed
16/12/2022
Police believe its an isolated incident, but it had the potential to be even more serious
A van driver has been deliberately rammed off the M40 near to Banbury so he could be robbed.
During the incident the man was attacked with a crowbar after being driven into by another vehicle during the early hours of Tuesday morning (December 13).
The driver was on the southbound carriageway in his white Peugeot van between Banbury’s junction 11 and junction 10 at Ardley. At just before 4.30am another vehicle was driven at him, ramming the victim’s vehicle from behind. This caused him to veer off the road and crash into the hard shoulder.
After the victim brought his vehicle to a stop, he noticed that the other vehicle had stopped behind him.
Moments later a man then used a crowbar to smash the driver’s side window. He then swung the crowbar at the victim, who deflected the blow before escaping from his van and running up the embankment.
The offender did not follow the victim.
When the victim returned to his van he noticed that his Apple iPhone 14 had been stolen.
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage following the robbery.
The offender is described as a white man, possibly of Eastern European origin, with dark facial hair. He was approximately 5ft 9ins tall and was wearing a dark navy blue hooded top. The offender was driving a grey Audi saloon, possibly an A4 or A6 and is likely to have left the scene with a damaged front bumper.
The victim suffered minor cuts and bruises but did not require hospital treatment.
Investigating officer PC Neil Wheeler of the Cherwell & West Oxfordshire Tasking Team, based at Bicester police station, said: “This is a highly unusual and particularly concerning incident.
“It would appear that the victim was deliberately rammed off the M40 at speed in order for the offender to facilitate this robbery.
“It has happened in the early hours of the morning, but I do know that there were a number of vehicles on that stretch of the motorway at the time of the incident.
“These people may have believed that they have witnessed a road traffic collision, but in fact, this has turned out to be a particularly nasty robbery.
“I am appealing to anybody who was driving on the M40, either north or southbound between junctions 11 and 10 on Tuesday morning to please contact Thames Valley Police if you think you witnessed this incident.
“I would also ask anybody who has a dashcam in their vehicle to please check this and contact us if it has captured anything that can assist this investigation.
“I am appealing more widely than just Oxfordshire, as the M40 is a major arterial route between the Midlands and London, and so if anybody believes they saw what they thought was a collision, please call us on 101, quoting reference number 43220559095.
“You can also make a report online or for anonymity, the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“We believe this to be an isolated incident, but had the potential to be even more serious had the collision caused further injury.
“We are making further enquiries, including checking ANPR cameras, but are appealing directly to the public for their assistance in this investigation.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam