Police say they are listening to concerns from fans amid growing anger over car cannibals stripping vehicles during football games. Last weekend, we reported two rival supporters’ motors had been shredded in Birmingham just 24 hours apart.
Thieves stripped parts during Aston Villa and Birmingham City FC’s FA Cup clashes on two consecutive days. The Villa fan, who asked not be named, said the incident was “absolutely shocking” and “unacceptable”.
Now, West Midlands Police has insisted it is committed to identifying and arresting those responsible. In a new message, it said it had carried out operations around the Birmingham City ground to tackle the problem with regular patrols by officers in uniform and plain clothes.
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The force added that several people had been charged in the last 18 months, including two alleged to be among the “most prolific” in the area. The men have not been named.
Sgt James Harbour, from Birmingham’s Vehicle Crime Team said: “We know how incredibly frustrating and upsetting it can be when thieves steal parts from cars. As well as being inconvenient, we understand the effect it can have on victims’ livelihoods and their personal lives.
“We are doing all we can to bring those involved in car cannibalism to justice. As well as patrols by our officers, we also regularly carry out warrants and enforcement action, targeting known vehicle crime hotspots.”
Blues fan Oli Edwards previously said police had “failed another ordinary person just watching a match”. 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.”