Two of the cars stuck on the Maitland Park Estate in the last month

IT all seemed so simple in the classic crime caper The Italian Job, but drivers taking a wrong turn have found tackling a flight of stairs brings most cars to a shuddering halt.

Residents of the Maitland Park estate have been left bemused after five separate incidents of cars being caught on the steps in the past month.

Two of these were last week with suspicions that online maps are sending drivers in Maitland Road Park towards the steps.

Nobody has been hurt but cars, including minicabs, have been left snared on the stairs – in contrast to the nimble getaway seen on screen with Michael Caine’s Turin thieves in the legendary 1960s film.

Two of the blunders unfolded last week and the council said it was now taking action to try and prevent further problems.

Aron Kennedy can’t help but see the funny side as yet another car gets stuck on the steps – nobody has been hurt

Aron Kennedy, who lives on the estate, said: “The first couple of cars were all mini cabs and they were trying to say their maps took them down there, but can they not see that there are stairs there and not a ramp?

“All us residents got on our phones last night and not one of our maps took us down that way. “To be honest it’s all down to Camden’s fault by not replacing the fire gate leading directly to the stairs – that’s about 30 yards away from it.”

He added: “Unfortunately it’s been open for quite a while. Camden Council have been aware since the first time this happened. Emails have been sent and it’s sort of falling on deaf ears. “The gate has been shut now with cable ties and hopefully Camden will come and replace the gate now.”

The chaos has been compared to film stunts which would come with a strict warning that they are “not to be tried at home”, and neighbours said it needed to be halted before somebody got hurt.

Getaway cars tackle steps in The Italian Job

“Residents have had enough – they are scared children could get hurt or could be sitting on the stairs, and then a car comes,” said Mr Kennedy.

A short cut goes wrong

He added that his social media feed has been working overtime after posting about the car situation on the estate.

“It has been going mad because I just put it up as a new Camden tourist attraction along with Karl Marx you know?,” he said. “And since then my social media has been non-stop. “I mean if it happens one more time I think we might have to get a living statue of a car stuck there permanently.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The safety of all our residents and visitors to the estate is a priority to us. “The gate to this area is secured with a padlock and two lockable bollards will also be installed to further ensure that vehicles cannot mistakenly enter.”