Sunderland carjacking bid thwarted by quick-thing driver

Regan King approached the vehicle, which was parked in Southwick, Sunderland, on Tuesday March 17 and opened the door, before speaking to the driver, claiming to be homeless.

When the driver refused to interact with him, King insinuated he had a weapon concealed in his waistband, before demanding that they got out of the vehicle.

The driver did exit the vehicle but had the presence of mind to take the car keys with them.

Regan King, literally ran into the arms of the law, after his carjacking bid was thwarted (Image: Northumbria Police)

Realising he was unable to drive the car without the ignition keys, King attempted to drag the driver back to the vehicle.

The disturbance caught the attention of two people in the vicinity in Thompson Street, and they courageously came to the driver’s aid, chasing King from the scene.

It put a stop to the assault, although the driver was left shaken but unharmed following the incident.

In a panic, King thought it wise to seek refuge at nearby Southwick Police Station, dropping a hammer while en-route.

When the full picture of events emerged and the officers discovered exactly what had happened, King was arrested.

The 22-year-old, of no fixed abode, was subsequently charged with assault.

Appearing before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court last week the defendant admitted the charge and was swiftly sentenced to a 10-week stint behind bars. 

Detective Sergeant Julia Williams, of Sunderland’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said: “We take pride in our stations being a place of refuge for those in need of help, however in this instance, it was straight back to custody for King.

“Incidents of this nature are very rare and are not something we take lightly.

“Thanks to his naivety, King ran straight into the arms of the law, and we were able to take swift and robust action against him.”

She thanked the passers-by who stepped in to help the car driver.

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“Without their help, this incident could have had a very different outcome.”

Anyone with information on suspected criminality in their area can contact Northumbria Police by sending a direct message on social media, or by using the ‘live chat’ or ‘report’ form function on the force website.

Alternatively, members of the public can simply ring 101 or, in an emergency, when a crime is taking place by ringing 999.