Carjackers steal £30,000 BMW

The latest victim of London's carjacking epidemic is a businessman who was tricked into getting out of his £30,000 BMW by a gang that had placed a traffic cone in the road to bring him to a halt.

The ambush was at about six last night, moments after he left his office in north Woolwich. As he stepped away from the black BMW 328 CI SE, leaving the keys in the ignition, two members of the gang who had been lying in wait at the side of the road jumped in and started the engine. Their victim threw himself on the bonnet and clung on until two handbrake turns threw him off again and the robbers drove aw ay at high speed. A Ford Sierra was seen following the stolen car.

Police said the businessman, who has not been named, received minor injuries when he was thrown off into the road, but did not need hospital treatment. The attack in Cody Road is the latest in a series of carjackings to hit the capital.

The suspects in the latest attack were both white and about 19, police said. The BMW,registration V112 DMH, has not yet been recovered.

A police spokesman said: "I would urge anyone in the area to look out for this kind of scam. The owner of the car was lucky not to be seriously injured."

Anyone with inform ation should call Forest G ate CID on 020 8534 1212.