A suspected illegal immigrant was found by police inside a locked car roof box at a service station after he was heard ‘banging and screaming’.
A British family were returning from a trip abroad and stopped the night before their arrival back in Britain in Calais, where it is thought the man climbed inside the box.
Unaware, the family drove back to Britain, and it wasn’t until they were parked at South Mimms service station on the M25 a day later that he was found.
This is the shocking moment when police opened a locked car roof box at a service station and discover a stowaway hiding inside
The family stopped at the service station, prompting the man to ‘bang and shout’ until worried onlookers called the police.
Firefighters were then called to crowbar open the locked storage box.
Onlookers said the stowaway told rescuers he had ‘been in there for days’.
A video shows emergency workers breaking into the storage box on top of the car, finding the man surrounded by luggage, and the man jumping to safety.
A British family were returning from a trip abroad and stopped in Calais, where it is thought the man climbed inside the box
Unaware, the family drove back to Britain, and it wasn’t until they were parked at South Mimms service station (pictured) on the M25 at least a day later that he was found
The family stopped at the service station, prompting the man to ‘bang and shout’ until worried onlookers called the police
An onlooker said: ‘Everyone could hear this knocking and screaming coming from an unmanned vehicle in the car park. A bunch of people attempted to open the luggage roof rack but failed.
‘People were shouting “it’s OK we’ll get you out” and then the police were called but they failed to open the roof compartment as well and called the fire service.
‘A man was freed, covering his eyes because of the bright daylight, and he was overheard saying he had been in there for days.
‘The family returned to their car – a man with his wife and two children – and were totally oblivious as to what was happening.
Firefighters were then called to crowbar open the locked storage box. Onlookers said the stowaway told rescuers he had ‘been in there for days’
An onlooker said: ‘Everyone could hear this knocking and screaming coming from an unmanned vehicle in the car park. A bunch of people attempted to open the luggage roof rack but failed
‘The couple were in total disbelief when they were told a man had been hiding in their roof luggage compartment. We left just as the police were questioning the couple.’
The man was discovered in the storage box while the car was parked at the South Mimms Services off the M25 in Hertfordshire on February 23.
After members of the public failed to open the box themselves, the emergency services were called to assist with the situation.
Police officers and firemen managed to prise open the box with a crowbar and were shocked to find a man hiding inside amongst the luggage of the unsuspecting family.
After members of the public failed to open the box themselves, the emergency services were called to assist with the situation
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Police said: ‘We were called about this on February 23 at around 11am.
‘A member of the public arrived at South Mimms and heard someone banging and shouting and believed it was coming from the boot of a car parked nearby.
‘Officers arrived and forced entry to the vehicle and found a man in a box secured to the luggage rack on top of the car.
‘The vehicle belonged to a family, who had recently travelled from Calais and it is believed the man may have gained entry whilst they were parked up in Calais, where they stayed overnight.
‘People were shouting “it’s OK we’ll get you out” and then the police were called but they failed to open the roof compartment as well and called the fire service’, an onlooker said
‘The man was arrested on suspicion of entering the UK illegally and the case has been passed to the UK Border Force.’
The case comes less than two weeks after a people smuggler was jailed for trying to bring three Vietnamese migrants hidden inside an ‘airtight’ roof box into Britain through Kent.
Robert Rooney, 35, admitted facilitating illegal entry of two men and a 15-year-old girl after stuffing them into the tiny space on top of his Ford Focus.
The Irish-born HGV driver, of Edmonton, London, was stopped at the UK-controlled zone at the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles, northern France.
Border Force officers who asked to check the roof box took the vehicle to a nearby garage last October, after Rooney claimed to have lost his keys.
They were startled to discover the three bodies inside the ‘airtight concealment’ – not much bigger than a suitcase – before arresting father-of-three Rooney.