Police have been urged to take stronger action against ‘car cannibals’ after two rival football fans’ vehicles were shredded in Birmingham just 24 hours apart. Thieves stripped the motors for parts during Aston Villa and Birmingham City FC’s FA Cup clashes over the weekend.
A Villa fan, who chose not to be named, found his courtesy car decimated outside Villa Park after watching his team beat West Ham 2-1 on Friday night, January 10. He said the incident was “absolutely shocking” and “unacceptable”.
The following day, a Birmingham City supporter returned to their car near St Andrew’s after Blues’ 2-1 win against Lincoln City to find its front bumper missing. Blues fan Oli Edwards, writing on X, said police had “failed another ordinary person just watching a match”.
READ MORE: Sutton Park terror as boy risks life by walking onto ice-covered lake
He added: “When will you bother to stop this going on? All it would take is the deterrent of a patrol car during BCFC matches. It’s totally unacceptable.”
It was not the first time thieves have targeted cars parked outside the stadium during matches in the city. Birmingham City previously said car cannibalism had been primarily a night game issue.
Following the fresh concerns, West Midlands Police said this week that the force was “dedicated” to catching criminals involved in car cannibalism. Sgt James Harbour, from Birmingham Police’s Vehicle Crime Team, said: “We know it’s incredibly frustrating when thieves steal parts from cars.
“Our team is dedicated to identifying and arresting the people who are responsible. We have recently carried operations around the Birmingham City ground to tackle this problem, with regular patrols by officers in uniform and plain clothes.
“Over the last 18 months we’ve charged several people, including two who we believe are among the most prolific offenders in the area, and we will continue to gather intelligence to tackle the problem.
“If you spot anyone acting suspiciously, crouching down by vehicles or wearing masks, call 999 straight away.”