I thought I would die, says attacked driver

Police say two knifeman robberies may be linked

An Oldham takeaway driver robbed by a knifeman has told how he feared he would die and never see his one-year-old son again.

He was one of two fast-food workers attacked and robbed in the Alt area last weekend and which police believe may be linked.

The man, who lives in Oldham but works for an Ashton pizza delivery firm, was attacked at 12.40am on Sunday, February 21, when he was lured to Buckfast Avenue after a bogus food order was placed.

As he got out of his car he was threatened by a man who demanded cash and produced the knife.

He said: “As I was going to the house door, he went past and slashed my head with a knife, and robbed the food, which was only worth £20. It’s a 2in-long cut, which was glued together at hospital in Ashton, just on my hairline.

“He kept saying, ‘Give me your money or I will stab you’ four or five times. I couldn’t see his face because I couldn’t take my eyes off the knife. It had a 3in blade.

“I shouted and screamed, which brought the neighbours out. One of them got a better look at him than me and gave a description to police.

“I could feel all the blood pouring down my face and felt really frightened. I have a young son, one year old, and thought of him and was I going to die and never see him again?”

His attacker was about 18, white, slim, about 5ft 8in tall and was with another man of similar description.

Twenty-four hours earlier another delivery driver from Oldham was making a drop in Cherry Avenue, Alt, when he was punched in the face by a man, who pulled out a knife and demanded money, before running off with the man’s jacket containing cash and a mobile phone. The offender was white, about 18, 6ft tall, and slim with a clear complexion.

The 29-year-old delivery man, from Roundthorn, said: “I was holding his arm, doing anything to keep the knife away from me, and he was fighting me with the other hand. The knife was about 4in long, a small knife.

“He punched my nose and eye, and I ran away, trying to find something to hit him with but there was nothing.

“No one came out to help me, not even the people who had ordered the food.” He added: “My colleagues said I should report this, even though I’ve been attacked four or five times before, otherwise it will keep happening.”

PC Ian Stockwell, from the volume crime team, said: “Both victims have been honest, hard-working men who have been targeted by a thief who thinks he can use the threat of extreme violence to steal.

“I have no doubt someone in the community will have a key piece of information that will help me put whoever is responsible behind bars where they belong.

“We are treating these as two separate incidents, but the location, description of offenders, and method of both incidents suggest they are likely to be linked.

“I am appealing for for any potential witnesses or anyone who might know who is responsible to call me.”

Call the volume crime team on 0161-856 9042, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.