'Customers' drive off in sports cars at Blackburn garages (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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'Customers' drive off in sports cars at Blackburn garages
3:00pm Monday 12th November 2012 in Blackburn
By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor
Sales assistant Mohammad Malik and manager Javed Imran at Daisyfield Garage, in Fort Street, Blackburn, where an Audi A3 was stolen
HIGH-performance cars were stolen from two Blackburn car dealerships by thieves posing as customers.
Sales assistant Mohammad Malik had to jump out of the way as the thief sped off in an Audi A3 from the forecourt at Daisyfield Garage in Fort Street.
He said the man, who was around 5ft 3ins tall with ginger hair, went into the garage at around 4.15pm last Friday.
Mohammad, 30, said: “The man was asking all the questions a normal customer would about the mileage, the condition and tax.
“He sat in the drivers seat and turned on the engine while I was stood at his side and he asked if he could take it for a test drive.
“In a split second he had slammed the door and drove off, with the wheels screeching.
“The way he drove off I knew he wasn’t coming back.
“I had to jump back to avoid the door and being run over. If I hadn’t moved he would have hit me.”
The grey Audi A3 1.9 TDi, registration SH55 WJX, is worth around £5,500.
In another incident a man drove off in a silver Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDi, registration SV06 GRX, from Wensley Motors, in Wensley Road.
He was white, aged 28 to 30, 5ft 6ins tall with brown hair.
Garage boss Aman Qamar, 30, said: “The man said he wanted to test drive the car. The sales assistant went inside to get the trade plates, leaving the customer with the keys, which was a mistake. By the time the assistant came back out the man and the car had gone.
”It seems like they are targeting high performance cars. I don't know whether they’re selling them on or stripping them down for parts.”
The incident happened last Wednesday at around 4.30pm.
Police are investigating the two incidents which they believe could be part of an organised gang. Insp Graham Ashcroft, of Blackburn police, said: “Both cars are still outstanding and we warn garages not to let people drive away without a member of staff being with them.
“There may be somebody or a gang of people using this method to steal vehicles.”
“We ask everybody involved in selling vehicles to be careful.”
Comments(19)
MJA
says...
3:13pm Mon 12 Nov 12
Sajdin
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5:46pm Mon 12 Nov 12
powerpop
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6:13pm Mon 12 Nov 12
juanbbien
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6:38pm Mon 12 Nov 12
DEO VOLENTE
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7:48pm Mon 12 Nov 12
Deus Vobiscum
BurnleyBorn&Bred
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8:44pm Mon 12 Nov 12
buzzinfly
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8:53pm Mon 12 Nov 12
buzzinfly
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8:56pm Mon 12 Nov 12
sen c ble
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9:08pm Mon 12 Nov 12
BurnleyBorn&Bred wrote:You seriously need to book an appointment with specsavers!
'DEALERSHIP' looks more like a back street garage to me ........
bikerjohn_uk
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9:22pm Mon 12 Nov 12
DGower
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11:23pm Mon 12 Nov 12
Do you honestly think they asked for their cars to be stolen you numpty?!
Yes they made a mistake and yes they should have treated the "customer" with a sense of caution but in these hard times maybe you try to be more accommodating in order to secure a sale.
DGower
says...
11:23pm Mon 12 Nov 12
Do you honestly think they asked for their cars to be stolen you numpty?!
Yes they made a mistake and yes they should have treated the "customer" with a sense of caution but in these hard times maybe you try to be more accommodating in order to secure a sale.
DGower
says...
11:23pm Mon 12 Nov 12
Do you honestly think they asked for their cars to be stolen you numpty?!
Yes they made a mistake and yes they should have treated the "customer" with a sense of caution but in these hard times maybe you try to be more accommodating in order to secure a sale.
buckoff
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12:35pm Tue 13 Nov 12
Davelyn
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1:33pm Tue 13 Nov 12
Davelyn
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8:00pm Tue 13 Nov 12
Mister Red
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8:30pm Tue 13 Nov 12
bigdee123
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9:01pm Tue 13 Nov 12
buckoff wrote:agree 100% the 2 back street garages will be owned by the same family.
is this the new insurance scam replacing the crash for cash scam ?
both cars will be "lemons" that theyve bought wrong.
easy way out.
bburnrover says...
3:09pm Mon 12 Nov 12