A grandmother is in intensive care after her pelvis was crushed by a car thief in a horrific hit-and-run smash which also injured her pregnant daughter.
Anna Swervyn, 54, was rammed and then dragged several yards by her son-in-law’s Audi A3 after a man who masqueraded as a car buyer stole the keys and tried to make a quick getaway from the family’s home in Dorset Road, Mitcham.
The incident, that happened at about 6pm on Tuesday evening, left Mrs Swervyn’s pelvis broken in seven places and required an emergency operation at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, yesterday.
Mrs Swervyn, who is Polish, was visiting her family in Mitcham, and tried to stop the thief from driving off because she believed her two-year-old granddaughter Lily was about to be run over.
Her pregnant daughter, Beta, was also admitted to St George’s with minor injuries.
Her son-in-law, Rafal, said the man had called his wife expressing an interest in the car after he had put it for sale on a website.
He said: “My wife gave him the keys and walked around to the passenger side to get in with him, but he locked the car with the central locking, started the engine, and drove over my mother-in-law.
“She thought my little girl was underneath the car and panicked, but then he also hit my wife with the car. She phoned me and I came over as quick as I could, and my mother-in-law was lying unconscious in the ambulance.
“It’s unbelievable that someone would do this to us. It makes me so angry.”
The suspect is described by police as a stocky 5ft 8in black man, aged about 35, with a distinctive scar which runs from the right-hand side of his forehead across and down his nose.
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that no arrests have yet been made but that Merton CID had launched an investigation.
UPDATE - Friday, May 27 - 1.30pm.
Merton Police are now appealing for witnesses and have revealed the vehicle, a silver Audi A3 (Reg: KU08 UEZ) was last seen at Tooting rail station.
Detective Chief Inspector Adnan Qureshi, of Merton CID, said: "This suspect was intent on stealing this vehicle and thought nothing of mowing down two women, one of whom was pregnant.
"A team of detectives is working around the clock to trace this suspect but I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the actual incident, anyone who has any knowledge of the location of the person responsible, or the silver Audi that was stolen to contact the police."
Contact us on 020 8722 6335 or email: ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.
Get all the latest Wimbledon Guardian news by:
Liking our Facebook page
Following us on Twitter...or click here to receive a daily e-mail news bulletin.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel