Shocking moment thief drives away in stolen car with woman’s blind OAP mum, 89, in the BACKSEAT
THIS is the shocking moment a car thief sped away in a nicked luxury car – with a blind and disabled woman still inside.
David Stephenson, 51, sped off in the black SUV with the OAP passenger, 89, after her daughter left the car’s engine running while she visited some shops.
She had earlier driven her mum, who also had dementia, into Ashton-under-Lyme, Grtr. Manchester, to run some errands for her on January 6 this year.
But after she left the car briefly with the key in the ignition, Stephenson got behind the wheel and drove off – unphased that he was still carrying a ‘terrified’ OAP.
The video clip also revealed the car owner’s frantic call to the police where she told them her elderly mum had been kidnapped.
She said: “I’ve gone to the shop to pick some covers up for my mum, and I’ve come back and my car’s gone with my mum.
“Someone’s took her. Someone’s took my car and my mum. She’s disabled and she’s blind and she’s got dementia.
“My mum in the car – what will they do with her? What will they do with her? What will they do with my mum? Oh my god, what will they do with my mum?”
The footage revealed how Stephenson took off through Ashton town centre at speed and swerved in and out of cars while being chased by multiple police vehicles.
And at one point he even did a U-turn by driving over pavement as he tried to evade the cops – before later going onto the wrong side of the road.
But eventually, he gave up the chase and brought the car to a halt, which allowed police to arrest him.
Thankfully, police confirmed that the elderly woman was then reunited with her daughter.
Stephenson of no fixed abode was jailed this week for 8 years and 6 months after being found guilty of kidnap, theft of motor vehicle, dangerous driving and driving without a license.
And following his sentencing, Chief Inspector Matt Jackson, from Greater Manchester Police, said he was pleased that the elderly woman was left unscathed.
He said: “This must have been really terrifying for the woman who was in the passenger seat when the car got stolen.
“She is blind and has dementia, she wouldn’t have known what was going on – I can’t even begin to imagine what was going through her mind.
“I am proud of my officers, whose fast thinking and ability to remain calm in any given situation, meant we were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop, and swiftly arrest Stephenson.
“Their response meant that the woman was safety reunited with her daughter, it could have ended very differently if we didn’t work the way we did to get her back safe.”