A terrified pensioner has spoken out after he was battered and threatened with a SAW by thugs who stole his car keys before driving off in his vehicle.
The 75-year-old victim was 'minding his own business' when he was set upon on Middleton Road in Chadderton, Oldham, at around 8pm on Thursday evening (December 8).
A group punched and kicked him to the floor and kicked him in the head in the vicious assault, during which they tried to wrestle his car keys from him. However, he clung onto them and only handed them over when they produced a saw and threatened him with it.
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At around 11.30am this morning (Friday), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers from their Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) located and stopped the stolen vehicle. Four suspects were arrested.
Two men, aged 18 and 30, and two juveniles aged 16 and 17, were been arrested on suspicion of robbery. They remain in custody for questioning.
The victim said: "I’m a 75-year-old man who was minding my own business and I have been attacked by a group of men who wanted my car. I was outnumbered and terrified.
"They punched and kicked me until I fell on the floor and then they started kicking me in the head. I only gave them my car keys when they threatened me with a saw. I’ve never been as scared in my life. These people could kill someone."
In quotes released through GMP the victim also thanked the force for their swift actions which had seen the arrest of the four suspects.
“I just want to say that the officers from GMP have been amazing with me. The officers who came to see me last night were really good – they wanted to make sure I was ok" he said.
"I was over the moon when I spoke to the TVIU officers today, especially when they told me they had found my car and arrested four people for attacking me. Although I’m in a lot of pain, I feel a lot safer today.”
Sergeant Nick Bamber, from GMP’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit said: “This was great work by the team, and I’m extremely pleased we were able to return the gentleman’s vehicle to him.
"I would like to reassure the public that in cases such as this, where extreme violence is used against innocent members of the community, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit will stop at nothing to hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice."
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