News Room

Latest news Central Lock-Up open day 02/06/2017 Steelhouse Lane, the notorious inner city lock-up that housed the likes of Fred West and the Peaky Blinders during its operational years, opens its doors to the public on Saturday 17 June. The prison, which first opened its cells in 1892, will open to the public just three times this summer as part of the Birmingham Hidden Spaces series and tickets, which go on sale this morning (Friday 2 June) are expected to be snapped up quickly. A visit to the old Birmingham Central Lock-Up is certainly not one to be missed. It offers the unique chance to get an up close glimpse of the exceptional Victorian architecture and immers…

Latest news Former breast surgeon Ian Paterson jailed 31/05/2017 A former Birmingham based surgeon has today (31 May) been jailed for 15 years for carrying out unnecessary breast surgery on a number of patients in his care. Ian Paterson used his position of trust and his reputation as a leading breast surgeon to convince his patients they were at high risk of developing breast cancer and needed surgery. Although his motive remains unclear, it is believed Paterson may have been driven by financial gain, so he could claim payment for carrying out each procedure to fund his extravagant lifestyle. As a result, his patients and their families lived with the belief they…

Latest news Investigation launched following series of robberies 01/06/2017 Police are investigating a series of robberies which they believe may be linked. The first took place during the early hours of Sunday (28 May). Officers were initially dispatched to the Arran Way in Castle Bromwich at around 3am after an 89-year-old man rang 999 to report that three men had broken into his home, attacked him and stolen cash. Police were in attendance the following day when they were flagged down by a second resident reporting her property had also been broken into overnight. A spare car key and a TV were stolen from the address. Another robbery was reported to police ea…

Latest news WMP launches summer drink and drug drive clampdown 01/06/2017 West Midlands Police will be putting the brakes on drivers under the influence of drink and drugs during a summer crackdown. Officers will be targeting motorists who put their own and others’ lives at risk through a dedicated month-long operation starting today (1 June). A similar campaign last Christmas saw more than 250 people - around 20 per cent of those breathalysed - fail road-side tests or refuse to give a sample. A further 40 were positive for drugs which was a third of those tested. The highest breath test recording was 167 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath - more than four ti…

Latest news Police charge teenager in connection with the death of Joel Richards 31/05/2017 Police investigating the death of Joel Richards have charged a teenager with his murder The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Birmingham Magistrates court tomorrow morning (1 June). The teenager was arrested at a service station on the M40 near Oxford on Monday night. A murder investigation was launched after 20-year-old Joel attended City Hospital on Sunday morning with a fatal stab wound to the chest. Specialist family liaison officers continue to support Joel’s family at this sad time. View the full article

Latest news Troublemakers face bookies ban under new Bet Watch scheme 31/05/2017 A new police-backed scheme designed to cut crime and anti-social behaviour in betting shops has been launched in Coventry – and it means troublemakers face a city-wide ban from bookies. Betting shops across the city have signed up to a new Bet Watch initiative which enables them to share information on criminal offences or abusive punters with each other and police. A ‘banned from one, banned from all’ policy is being introduced by eight of the city’s betting firms as part of a partnership to help prevent crimes such as robbery, assault, theft and anti-social behaviour. Coventry Pol…

Latest news Teenagers charged over Wolverhampton schoolboy stabbing 31/05/2017 Two teenagers are to appear in court this morning, accused of wounding, after a schoolboy was stabbed in Wolverhampton. The youngsters were arrested following disorder on Old Fallings Lane at around 1pm on Monday 29 May. A 15-year-old boy suffered stab wounds and was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition. A 15-year-old boy will appear before Wolverhampton Youth Court this morning, charged with section 18 wounding with intent, while a 17-year-old boy will appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court today, accused of section 18 wounding with intent and possession of…

Latest news Security barriers installed at WMP HQ 30/05/2017 As part of an on-going security review of West Midlands Police headquarters in Birmingham, concrete blocks will be installed on Wednesday 31 May. The vehicle mitigation measure has been planned for some time and is not a reaction to the events in Manchester. The blocks are temporary until a more permanent and visually aesthetic solution is installed. The feature follows the renovation of Lloyd House on Colmore Circus Queensway which is now home to Birmingham City Centre Police Station, replacing the building in Steelhouse House Lane. West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Gary Cann, said: "The i…

Latest news Appeal after family threatened in their own home 30/05/2017 Police are hunting two men who threatened a family with a machete in their Birmingham home before they were forced to flee empty-handed. Detectives have released footage of two men they want to speak to following the burglary in Cole Valley Road, Hall Green, Birmingham at around 5pm last night (Monday 29 May). [embedded content] One of the attackers was armed with a machete and a wooden pole as they knocked on the door and forced their way into the property. They demanded money before two of the occupants managed to force them to leave empty-handed. Officers are now keen to trace these suspe…

Latest news Drug dealers jailed after heroin stash seized 30/05/2017 Three men have been jailed and a fourth is awaiting sentencing after police smashed a drug network running between Birmingham and Bradford. Officers worked with colleagues from West Yorkshire Police after a taxi was stopped in Bradford in February 2016 and five kilos of heroin was found in a rucksack. The purity of the stash was between 62 and 67 per cent across the five blocks representing a street value of almost half a million pounds. The drugs had been despatched from Birmingham and enquiries led detectives to 26-year-old Ahtsham Hussain, from Raglan Road, Balsall Heath, who had orchestra…

Latest news Five arrested in Birmingham murder probe 30/05/2017 Five people have been arrested following an investigation into the death of a Birmingham man. Joel Richards aged 20 was taken to the City Hospital on Sunday 29 May with serious stab wounds and a murder investigation was launched after he died of his injuries. A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder from a service station on the M40 at around 7.30pm on 29 May. Police stopped a car on the M40 motorway near to Oxford, yesterday evening (29 May) and arrested three men and a woman on suspicion of assisting an offender. Officers still continue to make enquiries into the death and continue to …

Latest news Policing ‘back to normal’ but force stresses terror threat vigilance 29/05/2017 Over the weekend, UK intelligence chiefs reduced the threat level from Critical to Severe. This means there’s no longer deemed to be risk of an imminent terror strike but the possibility of a terrorist incident on our shores still remains “highly likely”. Policing across the West Midlands will continue to reflect the need for vigilance. The public will see a gradual change in the way officers are deployed over the coming week however a range of patrol measures and other tactics, reflective of the Severe security state, will be employed to reassure and protect the public. W…

Latest news WMP join Birmingham Pride party 29/05/2017 There was a fantastic display of support as West Midlands Police joined more than 30,000 people for a weekend of fun at Birmingham Pride. Both uniformed and plain-clothes officers patrolled alongside and mingled with Saturday’s parade as the festivities and music passed largely incident-free through the centre of the city. Additional officers from neighbouring police teams were joined by colleagues from across Birmingham throughout the weekend-long event as well as special constables, to prevent crime and ensure revellers safety. And despite large crowds partying into the early hours there were no reports of …

Latest news Boy charged for causing fire in Sainsbury toilets 29/05/2017 A 15-year-old boy has been charged and remanded into custody following an arrest made on Saturday (27 May) after a fire was set in toilets at a Sainsbury store in Blackheath. Armed officers responded after a boy was seen running from the store with a knife. He has been charged with possession of a bladed article and two further charges of making an explosive substance and maliciously causing an explosive substance to endanger life. No members of the public were hurt during the incident and road closures have now been lifted in the area. View the full article

Latest news Murder investigation launched following stabbing 28/05/2017 Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was taken to City Hospital in Birmingham with stab injuries. The 20-year-old man was left at the hospital at around 2:45am this morning (Sunday 28 May). Despite the best efforts of medical staff he died shortly after. A forensic post mortem has been arranged for later today. Detective Inspector Harry Harrison from Force CID said: “I would urge anyone who has any information about what has happened to this man to get in touch with me or my team as soon as possible. “We continue to examine the circumstances which led to this man receiving…