Man caught in pickup truck claimed he ‘found it’ in Bolton
The Toyota Hilux pickup truck was taken from a driveway at a house in Little Lever by a gang of men in what appeared to be a “targeted” theft on the evening of Friday April 12.
Bolton[1] Crown Court heard how its rightful owner had been at home at the time.
Prosecutor Megan Edwards said: “A neighbour knocked on his door and said the pickup truck was being driven down the road by a man she didn’t know.”
CCTV footage showed that a Range Rover had been seen slowing down past the house before the truck was taken and that two men were seen to approach it.
One of the men walked off while another, since revealed to be 31-year-old Artur Grzach then drove off.
Ms Edwards told the court later that evening police saw the truck heading towards Manchester and a chase ensued, reaching speeds of up to 60mph.
Footage played to the court showed Grzach driving down the A666 on to the East Lancs[2] Road and on towards Manchester.
Grzach was eventually stopped after being hit by a “stinger” device and losing control at a traffic island.
He then ran off on foot but was caught by the pursuing officers soon after.
But Ms Edwards said that when questioned Grzach claimed he had simply found the car in Bolton town centre.
She said: “He said he noticed it was open and decided to get in and go to the shop.”
When asked why he had been wearing a black hat and black gloves he “told the police he had seen them in the car and put them on”.
Ms Edwards said that this was “implausible”.
Grzach admitted to aggravated vehicle taking but continued to deny being involved in the original theft of the truck, which he referred to as a “car”.
Taking to the witness box Grzach, who had sworn on the Bible, said: “I found this car in the road randomly, yeah?”
He added: “The car just ran and I drove to go to the shop.”
Questioned by Ms Edwards, Grzach could not explain why he did not then go to the shop but was instead caught driving towards Manchester.
He also could not explain how the thieves had stolen the truck and abandoned it for him then to find and start driving it in a matter of minutes.
When asked how and why Grzach, of Duchy Road, Salford, had been in Bolton, he claimed he had come on a bus to go to a party.
Ms Edwards said: “The defendant’s case is entirely implausible, its impossible to have gotten from where it did within those time scales.”
Liam Kotrie, defending[3], argued that it was possible the thieves were “driving much faster” than normal, meaning that they could possible have covered the ground in that time.
He said: “Anything could have happened in that time.”
ALSO READ: The court cases that shook Bolton in 2023[4]
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ALSO READ: ‘Justice at breaking point’ with 100s of Bolton criminal cases delayed[6]
Mr Kotrie also pointed out that it was “not unusual” for stolen[7] vehicles, “clearly hotwired” in this case, to be abandoned[8].
But the Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh said that he was “quite satisfied” that Grzach had in fact been involved in the original theft.
He said: “This was the targeted taking of a motor vehicle from an address in Little Lever, in Bolton.”
Judge Walsh said that Grzach had “clearly” been driving the stolen truck and had “shown little remorse” since his arrest.
He jailed Grzach for 12 months and banned him from driving for four years.
References
- ^ Bolton (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ Lancs (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ defending (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ ALSO READ: The court cases that shook Bolton in 2023 (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ ALSO READ: ‘Things only getting worse’ as hundreds of criminal cases delayed (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ ALSO READ: ‘Justice at breaking point’ with 100s of Bolton criminal cases delayed (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ stolen (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)
- ^ abandoned (www.theboltonnews.co.uk)