Inquest opens into death of Sheffield delivery driver who was fatally injured trying to stop van theft

Claudiu-Carol Kondor, aged 42, was pronounced dead at the scene in Heights Drive, Wortley, Leeds, on August 20 after his silver Ford Transit Cargo van was stolen in Alliance Street while he was making a delivery.

On Friday, September 13, an inquest into his death was opened and adjourned at Wakefield Coroners’ Court by senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin.

Mr McLoughlin said Mr Kondor, from Sheffield, was “a Romanian gentleman who was contributing to society”.

He added: “He was here, he was working hard, when he found someone stealing his vehicle.

“He’s commendably tried to prevent the crime taking place but he’s paid an immensely high price for this.”

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The coroner said this was the “violent and unnatural death of a valued citizen”.

Mr McLoughlin gave very brief details of how Mr Kondor found someone “endeavouring to steal his vehicle” and was injured as he tried to intervene.

The coroner said his cause of death was head and chest injuries.

He described Mr Kondor’s death as “heartbreaking” and added: “My heartfelt sympathies go out to Mr Kondor’s family.”

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

The coroner said Mr Kondor was delivering for Amazon at the time. He was employed by a company called SP Transport Group, who described him at the time of the incident as “more than just a colleague — he was a friend, a confidant and a valued member of our team”.

In the days following Mr Kondor’s death, his colleagues launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his family. At the time of writing, it has raised over £31,000.

Mark Ross, 32, of Conference Road, Armley, Leeds, appeared in court last month accused of murdering Mr Kondor.

He is due to go on trial next year.

Two other people were arrested in connection with the incident.

A 24-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder was released on bail pending further inquiries and a woman, who was arrested at the same time on suspicion of assisting an offender, was released under investigation.