Man in '˜monkey hat' hijacks skip lorry

Police said that just after 2.30pm on Friday, the driver of a lorry returned to his cab, which was parked in Crimea Court, having made a purchase at a nearby shop.

As the driver got back behind the wheel, a man jumped into the seat beside him, threatened him with a lump hammer and demanded that he drive off.

The culprit is described by police as wearing a red hoodie, a “black monkey hat” and a builder’s-style dust mask.

Detective Sergeant Rory McPhillips said: “The driver was forced to drive from Crimea Street to Tudor Grove. There, he was directed to a parking area behind properties on the Crumlin Road where he was told to reverse the lorry. The driver took the opportunity to jump out of the cab and ran from the scene.

“As he did so, he saw another man coming towards him carrying a green petrol canister. The lorry was then set on fire and was completely destroyed.

“The driver of the lorry was not injured during the incident, but he was left shocked by his ordeal.”

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the incident to contact them.