Sponsored by
'Killer' driver vanishes
A 'GHOST' from China who fled after a Sheffield pensioner was killed in a hit-and-run accident has eluded capture because virtually nothing is known about him, police say.
Ming Guo Chen, aged in his 30s, disappeared after the car he was allegedly driving hit 85-year-old Wilfred Sarjeant on Elm Lane, Sheffield Lane Top, on February 1 last year.
Police traced the Sheffield takeaway boss to Wakefield and arrested a man on suspicion of sheltering him.
But despite six further arrests of Chinese and Malayan nationals for harbouring or assisting an offender, the trail has gone cold.
PC Danny Church, of the Road Deaths Investigation Unit, said raids were staged in Folkestone, Leeds, Sunderland and Newcastle - where two women were dramatically stopped as they boarded a flight to Russia.
But all were released without charge and Chen's whereabouts remain unknown - although officers strongly believe he is still in this country.
PC Church, speaking after an inquest in to the death of Mr Sarjeant, said Chen, who was the boss of the Wokswagon takeaway on Halifax Road, Grenoside, was believed to have arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker in 2000.
But the grounds for his application were not known, nor the port of entry, or where he was from in China. His date of birth was unknown, he was single with no family and he used at least three aliases, PC Church said.
Appeals were made on BBC's Crimewatch programme, and in newspapers and on the radio in his home country, where he is also believed to be wanted by police.
PC Church added: "He arrived out of the blue without any antecedents and he's disappeared. He's an enigma.
"It's by far the biggest investigation of my career and it's taken me all over the country.
"The vast majority of the time has been taken up by trying to trace this guy. But we have drawn a blank with the Chinese community. Someone, somewhere knows where he is and we strongly urge them to get in touch."
Coroner Donald Coutts Wood recorded a narrative verdict that Mr Sarjeant died of multiple injuries after being hit by a car on Elm Lane on February 1 2008.
Anyone with information is urged to call PC Church on 0114 220 2967.
Got a view? Add your comment below.
Buy The Star - Monday to Saturday - for local news, sport, features and ads. To subscribe CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
