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Three months after Mayhem nightclub manager Gary Stokes, 38, was tied up and bundled into the back of his own BMW, detectives have released this CCTV picture of a man they want to speak to in connection to the incident.
Mr Stokes was parking his blue BMW M5 in the underground Tolhurst car park, off Chichester Road, Southend, at 9am on April 7th, when he was grabbed by three men. He was tied up, thrown in the back of the car and driven to the nearby club with the intention of robbing the safe.
But the thugs, described as “clowns” by investigating officers, were spooked by something and changed their minds.They demanded to be taken back to London, so quick-thinking Mr Stokes directed them to Cuckoo Corner, where he knew rush-hour traffic would slow the vehicle down.
As soon as the car stopped, Mr Stokes managed to kick open a rear passenger door and roll himself out on to the road.Suffering cuts and bruises, he ran to a nearby house and asked the people there to call police.
The BMW was dumped in St Michael’s Road, Daws Heath, just off the London-bound carriageway of the A127 before Rayleigh Weir. A motorist called police after watching three men, who were acting suspiciously, get into a green new-style Vauxhall Astra.
Investigating officer Det Con Bob Evans, said: “This is a most unusual abduction which has many bizarre aspects to it. There are a host of factors which just don’t add up, leading us to conclude these men just didn’t know what they were doing. We don’t believe they know Southend well, due to the route they tried to take on their way out of the town. During the journey they kept asking Mr Stokes for directions back to London. As a result of these comments and from our own inquiries, we think they come from East London.”
The CCTV picture shows a white man using Mr Stokes’s bank card just one hour after the bungled kidnap happened.
Mr Stokes and witnesses described the assailants as black, but police believe the man pictured may be part of an extended criminal gang.
Shea Leisure are offering a £50000 reward to anyone who has information which will lead to the arrest and prosecution of the men responsible.
Anyone with any information can call detectives at Shoebury Police Station on 0300 3334444.
£50,000 reward to trace Kidnappers: Southend - CCTV image released
A reward of £50,000 has been offered for information about three kidnappers who tried to abduct a nightclub manager.
Three months after Mayhem manager Gary Stokes, 38, was tied up and bundled into the back of his own BMW, detectives have released this CCTV picture of a man they want to speak to in connection to the incident.
Mr Stokes was parking his blue BMW M5 in the underground Tolhurst car park, off Chichester Road, Southend, at 9am on April 7, when he was grabbed by three men.He was tied up, thrown in the back of the car and driven to the nearby club with the intention of robbing the safe.
But the thugs, described as “clowns” by investigating officers, were spooked by something and changed their minds.They demanded to be taken back to London, so quick-thinking Mr Stokes directed them to Cuckoo Corner, where he knew rush-hour traffic would slow the vehicle down.
As soon as the car stopped, Mr Stokes managed to kick open a rear passenger door and roll himself out on to the road.Suffering cuts and bruises, he ran to a nearby house and asked the people there to call police.
The BMW was dumped in St Michael’s Road, Daws Heath, just off the London-bound carriageway of the A127 before Rayleigh Weir.
A motorist called police after watching three men, who were acting suspiciously, get into a green new-style Vauxhall Astra.
Investigating officer Det Con Bob Evans, said: “This is a most unusual abduction which has many bizarre aspects to it. There are a host of factors which just don’t add up, leading us to conclude these men just didn’t know what they were doing. "
“We don’t believe they know Southend well, due to the route they tried to take on their way out of the town. During the journey they kept asking Mr Stokes for directions back to London.
“As a result of these comments and from our own inquiries, we think they come from East London.”
The CCTV picture shows a white man using Mr Stokes’s bank card just one hour after the bungled kidnap happened.
Mr Stokes and witnesses described the assailants as black, but police believe the man pictured may be part of an extended criminal gang.
Shea Leisure, which owns Mayhem, is offering a £50,000 reward to anyone who has information which will lead to the arrest and prosecution of the men responsible.
Police Force: Essex
Address:
Chichester Road
Southend
ESSEX
SS1
