A man allegedly held a knife to a stranger's throat before ordering him to withdraw cash and leaving him stranded in a nature reserve.
The suspect is alleged to have jumped into the victim’s car in Stratford before ordering him to drive around and stop at cash points to withdraw large amounts of money.
The victim, also a man in his 40s, claims he was then forced to drive to Rainham Marshes where the suspect held a knife to his neck and told him to get out the car.
The suspect then allegedly sped off in the victim’s vehicle.
A passer-by was flagged down by the stranded victim and then called the police.
At 8.30am on Monday – more than 48 hours after the alleged incident – the victim called the police to Lambourne Gardens in Barking after claiming he had just spotted the suspect.
A Met Police spokesman said the suspect was arrested and is in custody at an east London police station before a formal identification takes place.
The stolen car was also recovered and will be forensically examined.
