DETECTIVES are hunting a gang of 'Eastern European' appearance following a daylight car-jacking.

The driver was dragged from his car by members of the gang, who were thought to have been armed with a gun, at around 12.15pm today.

The 35-year-old driver of a white Nissan NV 200 van was stopped at traffic lights at the roundabout junction of the A174 Parkway and the A19 near Thornaby when a group of four or five males pulled him out of his vehicle and drove off in it.

The victim, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was uninjured and his vehicle has since been recovered in Thornaby, near to The Griffin Pub on Bader Avenue.

Detectives would appeal to anyone who may have seen the incident or anyone who may have seen a group of four of five males acting suspiciously in the area around the Griffin Pub.

Detective Inspector Jon Tapper said: “This is obviously an incident which would alarm some members of the public, however, we would ask people not to be concerned. We are looking into whether this could have been a targeted attack. Incidents of this nature are isolated and we are doing everything possible to try to trace those responsible as quickly as we can.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact DI Jon Tapper from Stockton Operational Crime Team on the non-emergency number 101, quoting event number 9506.