NO, it's not a scene from The Italian Job, but a photo taken by a shocked dog-walker in Ipswich.A police investigation is under way today after this red Rover Metro was stolen from Robeck Road in the Greenwich area of Ipswich early yesterday and dumped on these steps in Mill Close in Pinewood.

NO, it's not a scene from The Italian Job, but a photo taken by a shocked dog-walker in Ipswich.

A police investigation is under way today after this red Rover Metro was stolen from Robeck Road in the Greenwich area of Ipswich early yesterday and dumped on these steps in Mill Close in Pinewood.

The thief, who appeared to have attempted to copy the classic stunt from the movie, managed to wedge the car between two walls, before joining the Self-Preservation Society himself and fleeing the scene.

Paul Barrett-Taylor, 58, who lives in the close, said he was flabbergasted when he saw the car during his early morning walk at about 8am yesterday.

He said: “I had to do a double-take because you don't expect to see that.

“It obviously hadn't been going very fast when it happened because it was balanced completely on the first step.

“It reminded me of The Italian Job but for the people who took it, it must have not worked quite like the film and they must have had to climb out of the window to get out.”

Bryan Moore, owner of CATS Recovery which removed the car, also said he thought the scene was like something from the 1969 movie.

He added: “We've recovered vehicles from all sorts of bizarre places but nothing quite like this.

“This one proved difficult because of its position and our normal recovery vehicle couldn't manage it so we had to use the 4x4.

“It was certainly a strange job.”

Even the car's owner admitted he could see the funny side, especially once he had learned it had been recovered.

James Kemp, 26, who lives in Robeck Road with his partner Dawn Frost, 23, and their children, Angel, six, Tia, four and one-year-old James, said: “I'm gobsmacked to see how it ended up. You don't expect that to happen to your car.

“At least we know where it is and it looks like its OK. I'll be able to have a bit of a laugh about it as long as we get it back.”

Anyone with any information about the theft of the Rover should contact Pc Bill Ormsby at Capel St Mary police on 01473 613500.

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