Flackwell Heath barmaid chased thief and clung to moving car (From Bucks Free Press)

Flackwell Heath barmaid chased thief and clung to moving car

9:00am Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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A PLUCKY barmaid chased a thief and was dragged along the road as she clung to his moving car to try and get her handbag back.

Hannah Ward, from Flackwell Heath, pulled into her drive on Wood Lane in the early hours of Sunday morning when a “man in a hood” suddenly opened the passenger door and grabbed her handbag.

She said her “natural instinct” was to chase the man as he ran to the end of the road towards his car.

She said: “He'd left his car at the bottom of the road with the engine running and jumped into the driver seat. But before he drove off I managed to open the door and just kept hold of the car.

“I ended up being dragged along the road as he drove round the corner. I tried to hang on but lost my grip.

“It was stupid but I wanted my handbag back. It had all my credit cards in it, my wallet, my camera, my glasses...”

Miss Ward, who splits her working hours between The Stag pub on Straight Bit and John Lewis, said she has been left with grazes and bruises on her hands, elbows and along one thigh.

She said her mum was “horrified” at what had happened and added: “With hindsight I'd never chase him again. I was just so angry and shocked and I'll stand up to anybody.”

Police are investigating the incident, which happened at 12.46am.

PC Ben Symons, of Wycombe Priority Team, said: “I am particularly interested in the driver of a small white van who could have seen the incident in passing. He is not a suspect and we would like to speak to him as a witness.”

Police believe this could be related to two other incidents. At 11.50pm on Saturday a woman parked her car by her house in Whyteladyes Lane, Cookham when a man opened her car door and stole her handbag, before running away.

On August 9 two cars blocked in a woman motorist in Oxford Road, Stokenchurch between 8.45pm and 10.10pm and a man attempted to grab her handbag, but she held onto it.

Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 08458505505 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111.