Woman injured after being dragged out of car in Sheffield by man trying to steal her dog

A woman was dragged from her car by her hair by a man who attempted to steal her dog in a terrifying incident in Sheffield.
By Claire Lewis
Published 19th Feb 2021, 14:56 BST
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The woman in her 50s was targeted by a van driver on Waterthorpe Greenway, close to Crystal Peaks shopping centre, at around 2pm on Monday, February 15.

She told police that she was approaching a junction close to the shopping centre when a white van pulled up in front of her.

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The driver of the van got out of his van, approached her car and ordered the woman to hand over her dog, a Lhasa Apso.

Waterthorpe Greenway close to Crystal Peaks in Sheffield, where a woman was dragged out of her car by a man who ordered her to hand over her dog (pic: Google)Waterthorpe Greenway close to Crystal Peaks in Sheffield, where a woman was dragged out of her car by a man who ordered her to hand over her dog (pic: Google)
Waterthorpe Greenway close to Crystal Peaks in Sheffield, where a woman was dragged out of her car by a man who ordered her to hand over her dog (pic: Google)

The woman refused and was grabbed by her hair through an open window and dragged out of her car.

She fell to the ground and was left with serious bruising and cuts.

Detective Sergeant Matt Penn, from Sheffield CID, said: “When the victim refused, the man grabbed her by the hair through the open window and pulled her out of the car, causing her to fall to the ground. The man then got back in his van and drove off, leaving the victim with serious bruising and cuts to her knees.

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“Officers are supporting the victim and enquiries are underway. We are currently exploring various lines of enquiry and reviewing CCTV from the scene.”

He added: “This is naturally a really concerning incident and I know it has caused some distress in the community after details were shared on social media.

“I would like to reassure people that enquiries by detectives and our local neighbourhood officers are progressing at pace.

“I would urge anyone who saw what happened on Monday to please get in touch. Did you notice anything unusual on Waterthorpe Greenway? Did you see a van driving at speed in the area? Any little detail could help our investigation.”

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The offender was a man in his late 40s, around 5ft 8ins tall and of a large build.

He was wearing blue stonewash jeans and a grey v-neck top."

Anyone with information about the attempted robbery should call South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote crime reference number 14/31351/21.

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