A PLUMBER who was dragged through the street trying to stop a thief stealing his van yesterday admitted: “I’m lucky to be alive.”
Brave Ryan Fox, 30, suffered third-degree burns to his legs and feet after a balaclava-clad raider sped off in his vehicle.
Horrifying CCTV footage showed Ryan clinging on to the passenger door for dear life as he was dragged along the road.
The shaken dad told The Sun: “I looked up at him as I was being dragged along. He looked me dead in the eye and then sped up. I knew he would have killed me if he had to.
“I tried to get in but couldn’t because it was going faster.
“I saw a parked car coming up and pushed myself away because I didn’t want to go under the wheel.
“If I had held on any longer I would be dead. He was prepared to do whatever it took to stop me.”
Ryan was targeted as he got his Renault Trafic ready on his driveway for another ten-hour shift early on Tuesday morning in Sheffield.
The shocking van-jacking comes just three weeks after Amazon driver Claudiu-Carol Kondor, 42, was killed trying to stop thieves stealing his transit in Leeds. The Romanian delivery driver died on August 20 during a drop-off.
Mark Ross, 32, of Leeds, appeared in court accused of murdering Mr Kondor. He is due to go on trial next year.
Shocked Ryan referred to Mr Kondor’s death as he called for tougher sentences for vehicle thefts.
He said of seeing his van being taken: “I wanted to protect what was mine. My van is the thing that keeps a roof over my family’s head. It’s my livelihood.
“In that moment I felt like I had a chance to stop him. Instinct took over and the adrenaline kicked in.
“As I was being dragged further down towards the road I looked up and saw him. He was in all black with orange piping and wearing a balaclava.
“He stared back at me and that’s when I knew he would do anything to make his escape.
“I regret doing it now. I could have left my son without a dad.”
Detectives are now examining CCTV footage which shows the thief and an accomplice driving up and down Ryan’s road in a white van before pouncing.
South Yorkshire Police said: “It is believed a person in black clothing and a balaclava entered the vehicle and drove off. Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.”
