Gang smashes van before attempting to drag driver in ‘scary’ Woodford Green attack

A group of men attempted to drag a driver out of his van after smashing his windows in yesterday afternoon.

The incident took place following a crash involving the Ford van, a Vauxhall Vectra and a Volkswagen Passat in Glen Rise, Woodford Green, at 2.30pm.

A man armed with a baton got out of the Passat and smashed two of the van’s windows before men from the Vectra also got out and tried to drag the driver of the van, who is aged in his 40s, from his vehicle.

The men ran off when off-duty police officers identified themselves.

Police say the motive for the incident is unclear and inquiries continue.

A resident who witnessed the incident became concerned after hearing the commotion in the street.

“There was a lot of noise outside – it sounded like drag racing,” she said. “One car that followed kept trying to hit the van off the road.”

She said an off-duty officer who intervened shouted “don’t move” before the suspects attempted to get away.

“They tried to get back into their cars but they were damaged,” she added.

“It was actually pretty scary, they were holding sticks and planks of wood, there were a lot of people that came out of their houses and everyone was calling the police.”

The suspects have been described as white man aged between 20 and 30-years-old.

No arrests have been made.