Mum's 'sleeping baby' stops car-jackers in terrifying Hanley petrol station ordeal
A mum filling up at an empty Hanley's Tesco petrol station believes two men were plotting to steal her car - before spotting her sleeping baby on the back seat.
Staffordshire Police are investigating the incident which took place on the forecourt off Clough street on Wednesday evening.
She says a threatening man emerged from the bushes at around 8.30pm and asked her to pay for his fuel.
Feeling increasingly uneasy, he then asked her to hand over her keys. At this moment, she says a blue Fiat Punto pulled up being driven by an apparent accomplice.
It was then the woman says she took her chance and jumped in her car and drove away.
She believes the pair were deterred from stealing her grey Vauxhall Corsa after spotting her one-year-old daughter asleep in the back.
Officers say the suspect was black, around 5ft 6ins, with short hair and wearing a grey polo shirt, while the second man was also black with a large build.
Asking on social media for her ordeal to be shared as a warning to others, the woman wrote: "I went to Tesco petrol station to fill my car.
"As I got out and started putting petrol in, a man appeared from the left hand side bushes and approached me. He asked me ‘are you going to pay for my petrol’ and I laughed it off but there was no other cars on the petrol station at all."
"Then he said ‘I’ll put your petrol in for you give me your keys’ all the while staring at my hand holding my keys and debit card. I again laughed it off as I didn’t want to retaliate without bystanders.
"He walked around my car and then was positioned behind me, spotting my one-year-old asleep in the back seat. I locked my door from the outside and a blue Fiat Punto (I think) pulled up behind me (every other pump was available).
"Both the man and the male driver exchanged nods and then started speaking in a muted voice. I took the opportunity of him moving away and got in my car, driving off quickly.
"I believe this was an attempt to steal my car but my daughter being in it deterred them as they didn’t want to take her too or deal with the inconvenience of getting her out. I don’t even think I got the pump back on the hook I was so frantic.
"Please be vigilant and don’t get petrol in empty stations at night."
Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward. A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "Officers are investigating a suspicious incident at Tesco in Hanley.
"Police were notified of an incident at the Tesco’s petrol station at approximately 8.25pm on Wednesday night where a man was acting suspiciously around a woman’s car – a grey Vauxhall Corsa.
"He was believed to be with another man, who was driving a blue Fiat Punto."Anyone with information should message Staffordshire Police on Facebook or Twitter quoting incident number 222 of August 4, call 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.