Terrifying Motorway Robbery Caught on Camera
In a brazen act of criminality, hooded assailants were filmed robbing a crashed vehicle on the M1 motorway in the middle of the afternoon. The incident, which occurred near junction 16 on the southbound carriageway, was captured in a video that shows the shocking moment the thugs targeted a damaged Toyota Prius.
How the Robbery Unfolded
The event began at approximately 3pm on Wednesday when, according to Northamptonshire Police, the driver of a black Range Rover forced the white Toyota Prius to stop. The Prius, which had been shoved into the central reservation in what is reported to have been a ram raid, was then approached by the occupants of the Range Rover.
Two individuals jumped out of the luxury SUV and immediately set about the damaged car. Video footage shows one man hauling duffle bags from the vehicle while another appears to remove an item from the back seat. During the confrontation, the assailants allegedly threatened the driver before stealing items. Both the front and back windows of the Prius were smashed during the altercation.
Throughout the incident, the Range Rover remained stationary on the live motorway, creating a significant hazard, before the suspects returned to the vehicle and rushed away from the scene.
Police Response and Arrests
Northamptonshire Police have since launched a probe into the alleged robbery. A spokesperson for the force confirmed that four men from South Yorkshire, aged 28, 29, 32, and 32, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery. They have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
The police are urging anyone with information to come forward, asking the public to quote incident number 25000664584 when contacting them on 101. Alternatively, information can be reported anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
National Highways' systems played a key role in the initial response. Their Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) system detected the stationary traffic at 3:01 pm. By 3:02 pm, lanes were closed using overhead gantries with red X signals to protect the scene. A National Highways Traffic Officer arrived just one minute later at 3:03 pm to assist and arrange for the recovery of the battered Prius. The vehicle was eventually removed, and the lane was fully reopened by 3:30 pm.
