Man jailed for nine years after knifepoint carjacking ends in arrest

A man who took a car at knifepoint in Stafford has been jailed for nine years.

Leroy Simpson, 44 from Birmingham, admitted robbery and aggravated vehicle taking following an incident in February this year.

He used a false name on social media and arranged to view a car in Great Bridgeford that was being sold on Facebook marketplace.

The owner sat in the passenger seat while Simpson took the car for a test drive. He drove into a cul-de-sac and pulled a knife on the victim, who got out and ran away.

As soon as we heard about it, officers made to the area to track the car down. The National Police Air Service (NPAS) were overhead, tracking Simpson as he drove at dangerous speeds, often on the wrong side of the road, to get away.

He was followed until he jumped out of the car at Hopwood Services in Birmingham. He tried to run away on foot.

Officers, with the help of NPAS, quickly found him near the woodland and arrested him.

Simpson was sentenced to nine-years at Stafford Crown Court on Monday 5 August. He was also disqualified from driving for eight-years-and-five-months and ordered to take an extended re-test.

PC Kadir Guler, the officer in charge of the case, said: “We welcome the sentence given to Simpson and hope it serves as clear message that such aggravated and serious crime in Stafford will not be tolerated.

“Simpson was callous in his efforts to maintain his alter ego whilst continuing with his ulterior motive to rob the car, proven by him taking a knife with him to the meeting.

“He could have easily caused serious injury or death whilst on his ten-mile drive across the M5 which ended by him crashing the stolen vehicle.

“The pursuit carried out was safe and effective and the skills held by NPAS meant this offender was swiftly brought to justice.”

We’re continuing to target vehicle thieves across Staffordshire using a range of tactics and have already arrested more than 150 suspects as part of our Operation Bormus initiative.

Officers are patrolling hotspot locations, sharing intelligence with neighbouring forces and working proactively to protect people’s belongings and stop the thieves intent on taking vehicles in Staffordshire.