Man, 32, arrested on suspicion of murder after 'beloved' delivery driver 'dragged half a mile to his death after trying to stop thief stealing his van filled with Amazon parcels'

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a brave delivery driver who was dragged half a mile to his death after trying to stop a thief stealing his van filled with Amazon parcels.

Claudiu-Carol Kondor,who was married to wife Mariana,was on his rounds delivering Amazon parcels on Tuesday evening when his grey transit van was stolen in Leeds,West Yorkshire.

The 42-year-old was delivering a package to a house at about 6.45pm when he returned to see a man jumping into his vehicle.

Mr Kondor - from Sheffield - tried to stop the thief by getting into the van himself,but the suspect drove away at speed,dragging the driver for half a mile as he desperately hung out of the door.

The silver Ford Transit Cargo then smashed into two parked cars,around half a mile from where the theft occurred.

As Mr Kondor lay dying in the street,the thief drove off,and abandoned the vehicle six miles away in Heights Drive.

This morning,police said they have arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of his murder.

The thief drove away,leaving the victim dying in the street between the junctions of Heights Way and Heights Bank. He was found on Heights Drive (pictured)

'People will be understandably appalled by this man's death in these circumstances,and I want to reassure them that we are absolutely determined to find the person responsible.'

Pictures show police,crime scene investigators and collision investigators combing for clues on Heights Drive,in the west of the city.

The van was found abandoned a number of hours later in Highlands Drive,a small cul-de-sac in south Leeds. It has been taken away for forensic analysis.

Amazon said the driver was working for a third party courier delivering its parcels.

A spokesperson said: 'This is a terrible incident and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the delivery driver's loved ones,family and colleagues at our delivery service provider.

'We will do all that we can to assist police with their investigations.'

Tributes to the van driver were paid on Facebook.

One wrote: 'Poor man out working,no doubt to provide for his family,and some low life scum has taken his van.

'He's tried to stop them,so he doesn't lose his job and instead he's lost his life.'

Another said: 'RIP to the poor man who's lost his life doing an honest day's work and to his poor family.'

And a third wrote: 'My heart breaks for this man and his family. What is the world coming to when you can't even be safe doing your job. My thoughts with the emergency services who had to attend this tonight too.'

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