A WOMAN In her 60s was assaulted during a broad daylight carjack in a busy city street.
A thug punched the 61-year-old in the face as she stood by her car in Edinburgh before taking the vehicle and driving off.
Remarkable CCTV footage taken seconds later shows the robber speeding down a one-way street and having to stop to avoid crashing into a taxi.
The attacker struck in Jane Street, in the Leith area of the city, at about 11.30am on Wednesday.
He approached the woman and asked for directions before launching an unprovoked assault which left the woman with facial injuries although she declined medical attention at the scene.
The man is described as white, slim, late 30s/early 40s, 5ft 8in and wearing a black hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms. He had dark hair and was described as unshaven with a grey beard.
The victim’s silver Honda Civic, believed to be a 53 or 54 plate, was driven away at speed in the direction of Leith Walk.
Police said the vehicle was likely to have been damaged when it collided with a street sign in Albert Street, causing additional damage to another vehicle, shortly afterwards.
CCTV video footage from a nearby car workshop shows the car speeding the wrong way down the one-way street, nearly colliding with a taxi, stalling several times and eventually reversing to allow the taxi past.
It then speeds dangerously out of control back down the same street, coming close to two pedestrians who were unloading a car, before mounting a pavement and disappearing on to Leith Walk.
Robert Batton, 34, who owns the Honda garage, said: “It was a Honda so I actually thought it was a job. I thought – ya bewtay.”
“We heard it revving the engine and were approaching the door to go and push it in. What happened is he’s driving up the street, the car’s coming down the street, and he’s had to reverse.
“He was there about a minute screaming the gears.”
A customer at the garage, who did not wish to be named but also witnessed the getaway, said: “The guy’s a moron. He doesn’t know how to drive.
“He was thrashing it. He was there for two or three minutes revving the guts out of it. Then he got away again.”
Detective Constable Joanne Robertson said: “This was a callous attack which has left the victim shocked and distressed and we are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have seen the stolen vehicle or suspect, to contact us immediately.”
