A SECOND senior politician has fallen victim to car-jackers in Greater Manchester.
Former leader of Rochdale council Allen Brett had his Peugeot 308 stolen after he was tricked into getting out of the car at traffic lights.
The incident comes less than a fortnight after it emerged Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese was subjected to a vicious attack by two men who drove off in his Mini Cooper.
Mr Brett was at a junction near the Kingsway Retail Park in Rochdale when three men pulled up alongside him in a car.
One of them wound down a window and shouted to Mr Brett that he had a puncture.
Gang
When the 62-year-old pulled up in Rochdale Road to check, one of the gang jumped into his Peugeot.
Mr Brett - who was the deputy chairman of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority as the congestion charge plan was being drawn up - tried to stop the theft but was pushed to the ground as the car-jacker sped off.
"You hear about car-jackings all the time, but people often think it won't happen to them," said Mr Brett.
"I left my engine running and I won't be doing that again so I hope people will learn from what happened to me."
The gang pounced just after 9.30pm on Tuesday, as Mr Brett was returning to his home from a meeting at the Labour Club in Rochdale.
A black bag, containing business papers, was also stolen by the car-jackers and police are appealing for witnesses.
Pounced
The suspects are three white men in their late teens or early 20s.
The M.E.N. revealed earlier this month how Sir Richard suffered a black eye in a car-jacking in Burnage.
Sir Richard had pulled over to the side of the road to get something out of the boot when two men pounced from behind.
They demanded his keys and there was a struggle in which the council leader was punched.
The thieves sped off and the Mini was later recovered in Moston, near Blackley.
Sir Richard described the car-jacking as a `very unpleasant experience' which left him `very shaken'.
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Showing comments 1 to 14 and replies | View All
CorneredAllTheLuck, Audenshaw (24/01/2009 at 10:44)
shayla (24/01/2009 at 10:47)
Maybe the car jackers are actively trying to tell them something!
And, a thought, if they supported public transport so much, why aren't they on it?
Mark,Radcliffe. (24/01/2009 at 11:13)
MsD, Manchester (24/01/2009 at 13:54)
Peter M, Mcr (24/01/2009 at 14:22)
Phil Turner (24/01/2009 at 19:49)
They were going to bring hundreds of boats and thousands of jobs to Rochdale.
Maybe I need glasses but I can't see either!
Dave Pollard (24/01/2009 at 19:51)
Audenshaw Bob (25/01/2009 at 09:37)
It would be like catching Paul McCartney eating a steak or an anti hunt protester going to a dog fight.
No wonder my mate has an axe under his seat when you hear stories like this. I used to have pepper spray and a knuckle duster to hand.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw (25/01/2009 at 15:34)
What, is the guy not allowed to drive now? At 9.30 at night?
Dave Pollard: "Oh dear, here we have a person who was making decisions in council which affected thousands of people in Rochdale and he falls for the oldest trick in the book!!"
Better to be cynical and never help anyone else, right?
Audenshaw Bob (25/01/2009 at 16:29)
They take you and I for fools. Just because you were pro-charge matters not. One day they will do it over something you object too.
It's like the government telling us to use less paper and yet with leaflets and advertising they have increased by eight times the amount of paper they use.
I was at City one in the Legends bar and a load of councillors were there at
Phil Oldham (25/01/2009 at 17:31)
beswick red (25/01/2009 at 17:32)
Peter M, Mcr (25/01/2009 at 21:03)
David, North M/C (25/01/2009 at 23:11)