Mystery shrouds two strange crimes involving cash-in-transit vans near St George’s Hospital last Wednesday.

Locals believe the two incidents on June 10 were linked, but police are keeping an open mind with their investigations.

In the first incident, at 11.30am, a red Ford Fiesta flipped on to its roof with the driver still inside after a stolen Audi crashed into it on the perimeter road.

The offending vehicle then collided with a security van meant for carrying cash.

It was accompanied by another stolen Audi, and the drivers of both stopped and fled the scene before police arrived.

A hospital spokesman said one person involved in the accident had been taken to accident and emergency.

Then, 15 minutes later, in Greaves Place, a man from another security van was robbed of a cash box he was carrying.

His two attackers ran off down Cranmer Terrace towards the hospital, dropping the box en route.

Shortly after, a man jumped out of a Peugeot Estate, picked up the box and drove off.

No one has been arrested. The car’s occupants were two young black men, who wore dark tracksuits.

Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

A spokesman said: “We don’t believe at this stage the incident at 11.30am has anything to do with the cash-in-transit robbery.

"We are investigating to see if the two incidents are linked.”

It comes just a month after police warned incidents involving teenage gangs robbing security vans were on the increase in the borough.

Wandsworth is now a hotspot for this kind of crime, with 35 such incidents taking place in the last financial year.

To report information to police, call 0300 123 1212 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Get the latest crime figures in our Local Information section