Machete terror for van driver

AN armed gang stole a van outside a Failsworth takeaway after threatening the driver with a machete and baseball bats.

The victim had driven his friend to a kebab shop in Mill Street close to the junction with Oldham Road in his Vauxhall Astra van when a white Ford Transit van pulled up alongside.

A passenger got out and snatched the victim’s keys from the ignition before opening the door.

Three other men got out of the back of the Transit — one was armed with a machete and another with a baseball bat — and grabbed the Astra driver around the neck and pulled him out of his van.

They tried to force him into the Transit but he broke free and ran off. He saw the men drive both vans off towards Newton Heath.

Police today released details of the incident which happened at 10pm on Tuesday, June 29.

They said all four gang members were black.

The first was aged about 22, 5ft 8in tall, of medium build, with shaven black hair and lots of stubble. He wore a black hooded top and black tracksuit bottoms.

The second was aged 20, with short black hair. The third and fourth in their late teens or early 20s and wore masks.

Officers are investigating whether the incident is linked to another robbery at about 7pm on Monday, July 5, where a 27-year-old man and his friend were getting into his gold-coloured Ford Mondeo in Redgate Lane, Belle Vue, and had it stolen at gunpoint.

Det-Con Matt Oldham, based at Oldham CID, said: “Understandably, the men were very frightened as a trip to the take away does not usually result in something like this.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Oldham CID on 0161-856 8951 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.