'Lawless' high street gets dedicated police team
A Birmingham high street described by traders as "lawless" has been given a dedicated police team.
Last November traders in Erdington said shoplifting and drug dealing was destroying businesses and police were failing to deal with offenders who were openly dealing and stealing products.
West Midlands Police started Operation Fearless in January to tackle the issues and now a team of six officers will have a visible presence on High Street, the force said.
More than 140 arrests have been made since the operation started and the "look and feel of the area" around High Street had improved, Det Supt Jim Munro, operation lead, said.
The operation will move to other parts of the city with the aim of reducing crime, like shoplifting, in key areas and make people feel safer.
In the 12 months up to June, a total of 26,145 shoplifting offences were recorded by the force, compared with 19,184 in the previous 12-month period.
The 36% rise is higher than the average for England and Wales over the same time frame (29%).
West Midlands Police said the six officers and a sergeant would be on regular patrol on High Street, speaking to local people as well as building relationships with businesses and partners.
"The results we've seen in Erdington speak for themselves – not just in terms of arrests and charges, but in the look and feel of the area around the high street," Mr Munro said.
"We're delighted that our work has been met with such positive feedback, and grateful to the Erdington community for their invaluable support and information.
"The new dedicated High Street team will be a constant presence in the area, and although Fearless is expanding to a new location – our Fearless officers will be using their impressive local and operational knowledge to support them."
The team started working in partnership with other officers in the town on 4 April, and has already made 17 arrests, the force said.
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
'Shoplifters are destroying our businesses'
https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man jailed after shots fired at trio fleeing car
A man has been jailed for more than eight years for his part in a Birmingham shooting in which three men were targeted as they fled their rammed car. Kasim Ali was one of four men in a Mitsubishi Shogun which rammed a black VW Golf into another car on Trinity Road, Aston, during the evening of 2 October. Three men inside the Golf fled on foot towards Birchfield Road while another man from the Shogun fired at them. Ali, 24, from the Handsworth area of the city, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at an earlier hearing. West Midlands Police said the area was particularly busy at the time of the shooting due to fans leaving Aston Villa's Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich. Ali used the handle of a so-called Rambo knife to smash the Golf's windscreen, the force said. For that act, Ali also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and received 12 months' imprisonment concurrent to his sentence of eight years and four months for his firearms offence. Police said Ali fled the country shortly after the shooting, but forensic tests linked him to the scene and he was arrested when he returned to the UK. The motive for the attack remained unknown and inquiries continued to identify the other occupants of the Shogun, including the gunman, police stated. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. West Midlands Police
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Epoch Times
Gang Leaders to Face 10 Years in Jail for Forcing Children to Conceal Drugs
Gang leaders who force vulnerable people—including children—to hide drugs or cash in their bodies will face up to 10 years in prison, as part of a bill currently going through Parliament. The Home Office confirmed on Tuesday that the new criminal offence of 'coerced internal concealment' is being introduced to the Crime and Policing Bill. It will target a practice which involves people hiding items in their bodies to avoid detection when transporting goods from one location to another. Known by its street names as 'plugging,' 'stuffing,' or 'banking,' the method is typically employed by organised gangs to transport drugs, money, and sim cards, either by swallowing the items or hiding them inside of their bodies. This is often connected to County Lines drug operations, with estimates suggesting that tens of thousands of children are involved. 'Truly Evil' Internal concealment of foreign objects can be dangerous and even fatal, particularly if drug packages split open when inside the body. Announcing the measures on Tuesday, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said the new offence will go alongside other measures in the bill 'to turn the tables on gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.' Related Stories 12/6/2024 3/15/2024 Phillips said, 'There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk.' Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips during her visit to the West Midlands Police control room in Birmingham, England, on Feb. 19, 2025. Joe Giddens/PA Wire 'As part of our Plan for Change, this government will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to dismantle these drug gangs entirely and secure convictions that reflect the severity of these crimes,' she added. County Lines County Lines are drug dealing networks, named for the mobile phone lines used to coordinate the drug sales often across county boundaries. They are run by 'Line Holders' who coordinate 'runners' to deliver drugs. Often, these runners are children and vulnerable adults, such as those with mental health problems or addictions. The Children's Society In order to break down the organised crime group peddling drugs and exploiting children, the government has invested £42 million this year into the County Lines Programme. The latest statistics from the programme show that since July 2024, police have shut down 1,225 lines and arrested 2,038 people, resulting in the charging of over 800 violent offenders. There were also 2,192 safeguarding referrals for vulnerable people and children. Cuckooing Another form of criminal exploitation associated with County Lines is 'cuckooing,' where drug dealers take over the homes of vulnerable people, such as drug addicts, the mentally ill, single parents, and even the elderly. Drug dealers will accommodate their runners at these properties because they are less conspicuous than using their own homes or hotels. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says that while use of the properties may start out as consensual, like in cases where the resident is an addict, arrangements can 'quickly sour' and gang members may use violence to occupy the property. Last year's raids saw police forces visit 853 addresses used by drug dealers for cuckooing. File photo of British police officers dated Oct. 22, 2014. Joe Giddens/PA Wire County Lines are not limited to the drugs trade. Following a major operation in December 2024 which resulted in the arrest of 1,600 people, officers confiscated firearms and bladed weapons, which NPCC County Lines lead Commander Paul Brogden County Lines Evolving County Lines have typically been associated with drug running from cities to suburban and rural areas, but researchers and law enforcement say that the structure of these networks is changing. According to researchers from the universities of York, Liverpool, and Leeds, the term 'County Lines' is now outdated, because drug distribution has also evolved to encompass the local drug supply rather than the solely 'out-of-town' drug supply system originally considered typical of this form of organised crime. Researchers said in May that as both types of drugs networks involve the exploitation of the young and vulnerable, 'criminal exploitation' should be considered the defining characteristic of this crime and the focus of investigating officers across the UK. The NPCC said in November last year that it has also observed that County Lines are becoming more localised, with fewer lines running across police force jurisdictions. They found that external lines operating across force boundaries have reduced by 12.2 percent, while internal lines which start and end within the jurisdiction of one police force have increased by 232 percent, year-on-year.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Police issue CCTV of group after staff member assaulted at Kings Heath shop
Police have issued CCTV images of a group of males that officers would like to identify after an assault at a high street store. A staff member was assaulted and items were stolen from a shop on Kings Heath High Street at around 3pm on Tuesday, April 15. Officers have trawled through CCTV in the area to find those responsible but have so far been unsuccessful. READ MORE: Birmingham bin strike deal offer raises hopes - what happens now West Midlands Police this morning released two CCTV images of a group of people it would like to speak to following the attack. They showed a group of males entering a store. One of the males was pictured wearing a bucket hat and another had his hood up. Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here A force spokesperson said: "Do you recognise these people? "We're investigating after a staff member was assaulted and items were stolen from a shop on Kings Heath High Street. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp "It happened around 3pm on Tuesday, April 15. "Officers have been thoroughly reviewing CCTV, and we're now asking for your help in identifying those pictured. "If you have can help our investigation please call us on 101 quoting 20/209965/25."
