A mum told how her car was stolen at knifepoint after taking her newborn baby to a post natal check-up. Lauren Mercer was forced to hand over the keys to the hooded robber who targeted her in a GP surgery car park.
As she was picking her baby up out of his pram to place him in his car seat, the man dressed all in black approached. He reportedly said: "Give me your f***ing keys," as she desperately tried to dig them out of her coat pocket, while holding 10-week-old Leo in her arms.
The terrifying incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (November 1) after Lauren visited her doctor on Mytham Road in Little Lever, Greater Manchester. The 24-year-old told the Manchester Evening News: "At around quarter to five I was coming out of the doctors. I had been for a postnatal check up because my baby is only 10 weeks old.
"I had walked over to my car and opened up the back door where his car seat is, and had picked him up out of the pram to put him in. As I looked to my right, there was this man stood there dressed in all black who said 'give me your f***ing keys'.
"I didn't think it was real at first. I was just in shock so walked back and said, 'You what?'. He then shouted at me again asking me to give over my keys.
"I just started trying to find the keys in my pocket, all whilst holding my baby. He was telling me to hurry up so I just threw them at him. I didn't even have time to process what was happening."
Desperate to protect her little boy, the new mum handed over the keys and claims the man got in the driver's seat and sped away. She immediately called her boyfriend and the police about the incident.
"He was in all black, I couldn't see his face or anything it was all covered up. I could only see his eyes," she said.
"He was holding what looked like a machete. I had only been to the doctors, you wouldn't ever expect to be held up at knife point. I just didn't want to argue with him.
"I wouldn't even be bothered about getting my car back. I don't feel like it has fully sunk in yet."
Lauren says she has had a call from the police and is awaiting a crime reference number in relation to the incident. She said will be making another statement over the coming days.
Little Lever ward councillor Sean Hornby, from Bolton Council, said he was aware of the reported incident and demanded action from the police. "I have emailed Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Stephen Watson and the Chief Superintendent for Bolton Stephanie Parker about this incident.
"People want to feel safe where they live and want to feel confident that action is being taken to make sure that happens. This is the second violent car crime incident in a couple of days.
"This must have been horrific, she was just putting her child in the car and then this happens. How traumatised must her and her baby be?"
Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for comment on the incident.
