Tributes to delivery driver killed during van theft

A delivery driver who was killed as he tried to stop a thief stealing his van has been described as a "beloved colleague and confidant".

Claudiu-Carol Kondor, named by the company he worked for, was the victim of a suspected "vanjacking" in Wortley, Leeds, on Tuesday evening.

He died after the suspect drove the Ford Transit away with the courier "partly inside" the passenger door, according to West Yorkshire Police.

Colleagues at SP Transport Group, which employed Mr Kondor, have set up a fundraiser for his family which has raised over £9,000.

Police were called to Heights Drive at about 18:50 BST on Tuesday, to reports of a seriously injured man in the road.

Mr Kondor was thought to have been delivering Amazon parcels in the area, for a third-party contractor, when his van was targeted by a thief.

After a struggle, he was left lying in the road when the vehicle collided with two parked cars.

He was given emergency treatment by ambulance staff but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

A murder investigation has been launched that the force said was at an "early stage".

Mike Neill, operations manager of SP Transport Group, wrote the "unimaginable loss" had left everyone "devastated".

"Claudiu was a dedicated and cherished member of the SP Transport Group family who tragically lost his life on 20 August 2024 during a struggle that occurred in the midst of a van theft," he said.

"Claudiu was more than just a colleague - he was a friend, a confidant and a valued member of our team.

"His commitment to his work and the camaraderie he brought to the workplace will never be forgotten."

Mr Neill added that Mr Kondor's death extended "far beyond the workplace" and would affect all who knew him.