Express & Star van hijacked in Dudley leaving driver injured

The incident took place at around 4am on Stourbridge Road, Dudley, as the van was making a routine stop at one of the delivery points.

The driver, who has not been named, was attacked as he returned to his vehicle, where he was purportedly dragged from the front seat before the hijacker made off with the van.

Dan Tomlinson, garage manager at Express and Star, said: "One of our drivers was completing a delivery in the Stourbridge Road, Dudley, when he was attacked as he returned to his van.

"He was thrown to the ground as the attacker took control of the vehicle, and he landed badly on his wrist. The driver is currently in A&E and is obviously quite shaken.

"It isn't the first time that we have seen something like this. Vans are starting to be targeted more as they become harder to get. We just have to tell the drivers to start being careful."

The hijacking comes as van thefts in the UK become more common, with the West Midlands noticing a 36 per cent increase in the last year.

Drive Price, A milkman from Brownhills, said: "I had a group of lads try to steal my milk float at around 3am as I was leaving the depot, they just chop the vehicles up for parts and they don't care about who they hurt in the process."

"These types of hijackings aren't new but they are becoming more common. Criminals are getting up earlier to target these vehicles and it's having a big impact on the drivers."

The police have been approached for comment.