Shocking pictures show Audi ‘stolen by thugs dressed in black’ smashed through pensioner’s garden wall after it crashed ‘during chase’

These shocking pictures show the damage done to an Audi after it was ‘stolen by thugs’ and smashed through a wall allegedly during a car chase. 

Residents in Wishaw, Scotland, had a lucky escape after the car hit a lamppost and careered through their gardens, demolishing fencing and a brick wall.

The vehicle, which had been stolen from Lanark, around 10 miles away, ploughed into the neighbourhood at around 10am on Friday, January 12, narrowly missing the houses themselves.

Images show the battered silver Audi, which had a wrecked front bumper, dented doors and a smashed bonnet. Both airbags had also been deployed. 

Three men wearing dark clothing fled the scene on Carrick Crescent in Coltness. Police are investigating the incident. 

Pensioner James Murray normally takes a trip to the shops at that time every day.

The 80-year-old was running behind his normal schedule when the car came to a shuddering halt just a few feet from his front door.

He said: ‘I normally go for a paper round about that time but I had slept in.

‘I heard the noise and it sounded like a whole lot of bricks had come crashing down and I looked out of my window to see three guys running away through the woods and the car sitting in my garden.

‘Thankfully no one was hurt as it doesn’t bear thinking about. The neighbours all helped clear up.’

Mr Murray is a widower who lives alone and his daughter Lynn Sirrell is thankful that he was unscathed following the incident.

She said: ‘The silver Audi mounted the pavement and went through four gardens. Another few yards and it would have went through his window.

‘It went through a couple of fences and a brick wall, and took down a street light. Three men jumped out and ran away through the woods.

‘We couldn’t get in to see my dad because it was all cordoned off as a crime scene.

‘To be honest, it’s by the grace of God that no one was killed. It’s not worth thinking about what could have happened.

‘It’s a busy wee street and there’s two young kids right next door to my dad. Thankfully they weren’t out playing as it went straight through their driveway.

‘My dad lives alone and is a widower and had an appointment to attend in the afternoon and his neighbours cleared up his path for him coming back, which was really good of them.

‘They all pulled together to help out and clear the gardens.’

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘An investigation is underway following a report of a car striking a fence in Carrick Crescent, Wishaw.

‘The incident was reported to police around 10.05am on Friday, January 12, 2024. Three men were seen running off from the vehicle. All were wearing dark-coloured clothing.

‘Officers attended and established the car had been stolen from Lanark. Enquiries are ongoing to locate those involved. If anyone has any information, please contact us on 101, quoting incident number 0884 of January 12 2024’.