SHOCKED garage owner Mervyn Pizzey told today of a scene "like Star Wars" when car thieves fleeing from a hit and run accident on the A12 near Capel St Mary made off in a Metro stolen from his yard.

By Tina Heath

SHOCKED garage owner Mervyn Pizzey told today of a scene "like Star Wars" when car thieves fleeing from a hit and run accident on the A12 near Capel St Mary made off in a Metro stolen from his yard.

Mr Pizzey, 39, owner of Bentley Autos, which is positioned off a slip road from the A12 near Capel, said that he had never experienced anything like the drama which unfolded just metres from his sleepy rural business.

He was driving into work on the Copdock slip road yesterday when he watched in horror as a dark coloured Renault Laguna, which is believed to be stolen, was involved in a collision with a car and a lorry on the A12 next to his business.

Three men fled from the vehicle, pursed by the driver of a blue Nissan Patrol car.

Racing to his yard Mr Pizzey desperately tried to call the police, fearing for the lives of the occupants of the crashed cars.

But before he had time to think, two of the men arrived on foot in his yard and stole the red F Reg Metro he had left hurridly parked in the drive with the keys still in the ignition.

Despite attempts by the unknown Nissan driver to block them at the entrance, the two men sped from the scene and headed towards Colchester. The third male bolted into woods opposite the yard.

A van driver later informed police that he picked up a hitch hiker of the same description about an hour later in Bentley and gave him a lift to Benton Street, Hadleigh.

Describing the drama, which unfolded around 12.15pm yesterday, Mr Pizzey said: "It all happened within seconds. It was a horrific few minutes. It was like something out of Star Wars.

"We were coming back in on the Copdock slip road towards Capel and saw the accident happen up the road, almost beside us. We saw some people running away but we thought they were running away in case a car exploded or something.

"We roared into our workshop and rung the police but before we knew it two of the occupants had come and stolen the car out in the yard. We had a motorbike in the entrance and they smashed that to smithereens and dragged in half way across the road with them."

He added: "We were amazed that nobody was injured."

Suffolk police have released a description of the three men.

The two men who stole the Metro are both white and one wore a fawn jumper. The third man is white, in his 30s and was as wearing a dark blue shirt and dark trousers. He was carrying a jacket and was seen running into Long Wood, woods opposite Bentley Autos.

Suffolk Police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this incident, especially the driver of the Nissan Patrol who may be able to provide the police with a more detailed description of the offenders.

Calls should be made to the duty sergeant at Capel police station on 01473 383259 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.