A 60-year-old grandfather has told of the terrifying moment he clung to the side of his work van as he tried to stop a crazed thief from stealing it.
James Roe feared he was going to die as the van hurtled along at high speed over speed bumps with him hanging onto the side.
And the car-jacker even tried to knock joiner James off by veering from left to right into parked cars along the streets of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.
After finally being knocked off the van – leaving the thief to disappear into the distance – fed-up James was left with a dislocated shoulder and severe cuts and bruises to his legs, arms, and body.
James was putting together a garden shed on Saturday in Kilmarnock when he heard his Ford Transit flatbed van start up – and rushed to the front of the house to see what was happening.
He saw the van backing out of the driveway of the house and realised then that he had left the keys in the vehicle.
Fearless Jim jumped in front of the van to try and stop the thief.
But the thief swerved past him, leaving Jim to jump onto the side of the vehicle.
Recovering at home Jim said: “The guy was definitely trying to kill me. It was terrifying. I just thought, ‘what am I doing here, do I think I’m Bruce Lee?’
“The adrenaline kicked in. I knew if I let go I was going to get killed.”
The van had been parked in the driveway while James continuously carried items backwards and forwards from the vehicle.
He said: “My van has got a distinct noise. I heard it start up. I saw the van reversing and ran after it.
“I stood in front of it and the guy looked straight at me. He went forward to run me down and I jumped out the road and grabbed the side.
“He then dragged me along the road swerving from side to side and tried to hit me off parked cars.
“I thought he was going to kill me. He was doing about 70mph and hitting all the speed bumps at full speed.
“He then swerved around a roundabout doing about 50mph and knocked me off.
“There was blood coming out my legs and it had ripped my trousers off.
“It was a spur of the moment thing. It was my livelihood. I was thinking ‘how am I going to get off of here? I’m not going to let go. I’m not going to see my grandkids’.”
James called the police, who are continuing to investigate the incident.
The van has since been recovered – after the thief dumped it on a neighbouring street.
Police impounded it for forensic tests, but James only had it returned to him after spending £150 to get it back.
He said: “It still cost me to get it back. I’m just waiting for information from anybody about who this person was.
“At the end of the day I came out of it, I’m not dead and I’m still working.”
The van travelled from Craigie Road around the Shortlees area of Kilmarnock towards the roundabout at Knowehead junction – where James was thrown off.
The thief then continued onto Loreny Drive and Cheviot Place before dumping the vehicle.
Detective Constable Claire Jack said: “I am appealing to local people in the Shortlees area who may have seen the van when it was being driven around the various streets.
“The owner of the van was injured when he tried to prevent the van from being stolen, however, thankfully he was not seriously injured.
“There would have been plenty of people around the area at the time of this incident taking place and I’m appealing to anyone who has any information or knowledge regarding the incident or the suspect to contact us.”
The suspect is described as white with short dark hair, and a slim build. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans.
