Tractor ploughs into home ‘at full throttle’ as ‘balaclava thug flees in getaway automobile’
A red tractor has ploughed into the front of a terraced house on Priory Road, Middlesbrough, with police erecting a cordon around several homes while investigations take place
The tractor is said to have crashed into the house at ‘full throttle’(Image: Teesside Live)
A tractor has smashed into the front of a Middlesbrough residence. The red agricultural vehicle has crashed straight through the terraced property on Priory Road.
Police have cordoned off multiple houses along the street while enquiries are conducted. Photographs from the scene reveal rubble scattered across the front of the dwelling from the perimeter wall, with the massive tractor tyres visible on the drive.
The front end of the tractor has completely penetrated the house, reports Teesside Live. A nearby resident said he saw the yellow lights of the tractor passing down the street at about 1.35am today – Saturday, May 9. “I saw the yellow lights go last and it was going really slowly,” he said. “I thought it was a strange time for the bin lorry to be out and looked out and saw the tractor with a rig on it. He turned and went full throttle into the house.”
Another neighbour told Teesside Live: “I heard it and felt it. I was videoing it but at that point I thought I’d better ring the police. It then reversed into a car and drove back in again.
“There was a getaway car and they got in it it and skidded away. They were all in balaclavas and hoodies. It was the most insane thing I’ve ever seen.”
It is not thought anyone was in the house at the time of the incident. Another resident said the house was targeted previously. She said: “The windows were put through. They broke in and smashed it all up. They’d just had new windows put in on Thursday.”
Detective Chief Inspector John Bonner, from Middlesbrough CID, said: “Shortly after 1am on Saturday, May 9, police received reports of a tractor being driven into a house on Priory Road in Middlesbrough.
“Those inside the tractor immediately fled from the area. The property is unoccupied therefore no one suffered any injury however neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution and will return once it has been deemed safe.
“We are currently treating this as deliberate, and a scene is in place while the investigation is ongoing. I’d ask members of the public to avoid the area where possible. Additional patrols will be carried out in the area over the weekend to provide reassurance to the community.
“I appeal to anyone who has information, dash cam or doorbell footage of the tractor, which was stolen from Yarm, in the run up to it being taken and driven to Middlesbrough, and the damage it did, to please get in touch quoting reference number 087639. You can provide information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
A black Vauxhall insignia, belonging to Kash Ahmed, 28, was damaged by the tractor. He was unable to get parked on a street he was visiting yesterday so parked it at the spot on Priory Road, opposite the targeted house.
He said: “I came in the morning to collect my car at about 6am and I was like ‘what’s going on here?!'” He said it appears the tractor hit his car as it swung round to aim at the house. The car was rammed into a hedge causing further damage. He said as he believes the tractor was stolen he won’t be able to claim insurance. “It’s a scrap car now,” he said.
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