£100,000 worth of Pirelli tyres stolen at knifepoint

Kent Police is appealing for witnesses to a knifepoint robbery of about 1,500 tyres from two HGV lorries near the Dartford River Crossing. Officers were called just before 7.15am on 8 April after Pirelli brand tyres, worth a combined total of about £100,000, were stolen from two artic lorries. Neither driver was injured in the robbery.

According to the text of a Kent Police witness appeal, at around 1am on 8 April a man knocked on the cabin door of a lorry parked on the side of the road, gesturing that something was wrong with his vehicle. When the driver got out to assist, the suspect threatened him with what is believed to be a knife and forced him back into the cabin. The driver was kept there until about 7am when the offender left the cabin. It was then the driver discovered that all the tyres were missing from his vehicle’s trailer. The driver’s colleague, who’d been hauling another load of Pirelli tyres, is also reported to have been threatened with a knife. Half the tyres were within his lorry’s trailer were taken.

“This was a premeditated robbery in which two men were held against their will,” said investigating officer, Detective Constable Simon Williams. “Clearly this is an incident that caused concern and distress to the victims and I would urge anyone that has any information to come forward. Also, if you are offered cheap Pirelli tyres at a price that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.”

If anyone has any information, call DC Williams on 101, quoting CAD 08-0137. Alternatively, contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.