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WORTH his weight in coal: Stephen Eaton clung on to his coal van after it was driven off
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No need to coal the cops!
Exclusive by Eve Dugdale30/ 1/2008
IT WAS like a scene from an action film as a stolen truck swerved in front of oncoming vehicles trying to throw off its owner clinging desperately onto the cab.
But this was no multi-million pound blockbuster — just a family man trying to protect his livelihood and stand up against a would-be car thief.
When dad-of-one Stephen Eaton saw his coal van being stolen he took direct action.
Jumping onto the back of the wagon, he kicked the thief to stop him — while clinging on himself for dear life.
"It was my last drop of the day at 2.30pm on Wakefield Road, Stalybridge. I jumped out of my wagon. I was a fool because I left my keys in the ignition, but I have an immobiliser which kicks in after 30 seconds," said Stephen, of Princess Close, Mossley.
"I took the bag of coal off the back when I heard the engine start up. I thought it was one of my friends messing about but this guy started to drive off.
"I managed to jump on the back of the truck. He was driving towards Mossley.
"As I jumped on he tried to side sweep a car and knock me off. He mounted embankments and tried to hand brake the wagon.
"I shouted to passers-by to phone the police. He was driving erratically to try and get me off causing my coal bags to come off all over the road. Cars were swerving to miss us because of the way he was driving.
"The window was open and I started trying to kick him in the face. I managed to catch him on his head and his eye started to swell, so I swung in and pulled the keys out of the ignition."
Stephen, 36, fell off the cab and the thief escaped, pinching his mobile phone.
S Eaton Fuels, on Raglan Street, Hyde, has been in Stephen’s family for 24 years. He and his wife took over the firm when his dad retired.
Stephen added: "I work too hard in my job to let some little scally come and take what I work for. The man next door to where I was delivering saw me swinging about. He said he thought he was watching a Bruce Willis film!
"I am just glad nobody else was hurt in all this commotion."
The thief was around 19 years old, spotty with a pale complexion. He was wearing black tracksuit bottoms, a grey hoody and white trainers. He would have had coal marks on his clothes and the right side of his face would have been swollen following the incident, which took place on Friday, 18 January.
Stephen is desperate to get the sim card from his phone back as it contains sentimental snaps of his family.
Anyone with information about the incident should phone police on 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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7/02/2008 at 11:50
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