News Room

Latest news Senior officers urged to join West Midlands Police 22/09/2016 West Midlands Police has begun a recruitment drive, aimed at attracting senior officers to make the move to the second largest force in the country. The force is looking to recruit officers into the rank of Chief Inspector and Superintendent, with applications welcomed from both substantive officers and Inspectors and Chief Inspectors seeking promotion. Assistant Chief Constable Michele Larmour is leading the recruitment drive and urged senior officers to consider making the move. “West Midlands Police offers a diverse and rewarding career in one of the busiest areas of the country. “We want…

Latest news New Pebbell device helps keep the vulnerable safe 22/09/2016 New technology to prevent vulnerable people from going missing is being trialled by West Midlands Police as part of a partnership with Dudley Council. Dudley Police is working with the council to introduce Pebbell trackers which can be used by relatives or carers of people suffering from dementia to monitor their whereabouts. The gadgets - which are just several inches long - have built-in GPS to immediately pinpoint the location of someone who is considered at high risk of going missing. Pictured: PC Arnold with Elizabeth Orange who has a relative using a Pebbell Dudley Partnerships T…

Latest news Athlete admits attempted murder at Alexander Stadium 22/09/2016 An athlete has admitted attempted murder and assault after an unprovoked attack on staff at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham earlier this year. Lauren Jeska, of Wesley Terrace, Machynlleth, Wales, stabbed a 51-year-old man in the head and neck several times resulting in life-threatening injuries, from which he continues to make a steady recovery. The 42-year-old runner also inflicted minor injuries on two other members of staff at the head office of UK Athletics in Walsall Road, Perry Barr on the morning of Tuesday 22 March. Jeska was restrained by staff at the scene until police arrived…

Latest news Coventry man charged with rape, assault and theft 22/09/2016 A man will appear in court today charged with the rape of a man in the Bell Green area of Coventry last week. Unemployed Timothy Forsyth, aged 22, of no fixed address, will also stand accused of wounding and theft when he appears at Coventry Magistrates Court this morning (22 September). It follows an alleged incident in the Roseberry Avenue area of the city on Thursday (15 September). View the full article

Latest news “Despicable” thieves struck at 90-year-old woman’s home 21/09/2016 Police are hunting two “despicable” thieves – one of whom was carrying a toddler in his arms – that barged their way inside a 90-year-old woman’s house before stealing her purse. The men – believed to be around 40-years-old and who spoke with Irish accents – forced their way past the lady in Loynells Road, Rubery, last night (20 Sept) having rang the doorbell. Initially the pensioner, who is partially blind, thought the men were family members but began screaming on realisation the intruders were rummaging through her lounge. The pair made off with the woman’s purse containing just a £5…

Latest news Police appeal following canal towpath robbery 21/09/2016 Detectives are appealing for information after three teenage boys were robbed in Shirley on 28 August. The boys (all aged 13) were walking along the towpath near to Dickens Heath at 4.10pm when a stranger asked them to empty their pockets before stealing their phones. It’s believed that the man threatened to stab them; however no knife was actually seen. The suspect is described as a white man with a stocky build, around 5ft 7ins tall and aged in his late 20’s. He had blonde shaven hair and stubble and was wearing black tracksuit bottoms and a grey t-shirt with a rhino logo and ‘Man in Charge’ wr…

Latest news Offender management case study: From #1 shoplifter to #1 mum 21/09/2016 West Midlands Police’s ‘Next Generation’ Neighbourhood Policing plan − due for launch later this year − has been shaped with a focus on swift intervention and preventing harm. Intervention & Prevention is key to the force’s plans and aims to stop crimes happening in the first place, identifying and nipping issues in the bud, and not simply responding to crimes after they’ve occurred. Central to the approach is an Offender Management programme which sees the most prolific, habitual crooks assigned dedicated officers in a bid to break their crime cycle. It may be next generatio…

Latest news Man charged with murder of Zakir Nawaz 21/09/2016 Detectives investigating the death of Zakir Nawaz in Washwood Heath have charged a man with murder overnight. Waseem Azram has been remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court this morning (Wednesday 21 September). The 29-year-old, of Ward End Close in Ward End, was arrested on Monday. Two other men, aged 18 and 43, were also arrested on suspicion of murder and assisting an offender respectively; both were bailed until a date in November pending further enquiries. Father-of-two Zakir Nawaz was found injured on Highfield Road, Washwood Heath at around 10pm on Saturday 10 September. A…

Latest news Michael Kelly missing from Four Oaks 20/09/2016 Concerns are growing for a man who has gone missing from the Sutton Coldfield area. Michael Kelly was last seen leaving his home in Beaton Road, Four Oaks on Wednesday 14 September. He is described as white, 5ft 8ins tall, large build, blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a white rugby top with a light green band across it and camouflage shorts. The 44-year-old also walks with a walking stick. PC Stewart McLaughlin, from Birmingham Police, said: “Michael suffers from mental health issues and we need to get him found as quickly as possible. “We’d ask anyone who has seen him or knows wh…

Latest news Appeal for information to find missing Erdington man 20/09/2016 Police are urgently appealing for help to find a man who has gone missing from the Erdington area. Anthony Perks was last seen at his home in Rogerfield Road at around 9pm last night (Monday 19 September). The 58-year-old is described as white, 6ft 1ins tall, clean shaven, with short grey hair, fair complexion and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue coat, blue jeans and a pink shirt with grey and blue stripes. Inspector Neil Robertson, from Birmingham Police, said: “Anthony is particularly vulnerable as he has a very short term memory and will easily become confused and lose his bea…

Latest news Three convicted of murdering businessman Tanveer Iqbal 20/09/2016 Three people have been convicted of murdering a businessman who was found dead in the boot of his own car on a street in Edgbaston. Zatoon Bibi, Gul Nawaz and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, were found guilty by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court today following a six week trial. Another teenager – a girl aged 17 – had already admitted perverting the course of justice. The court heard how shop owner Tanveer Iqbal was in a relationship with Bibi despite both of them being married – an arrangement which was common knowledge to their family and friends. On the aftern…

Latest news Streetly crash victim named 20/09/2016 A teenage cyclist who died in a collision in Streetly on Friday (16 September) has been named as Daniel Horton. The 18-year-old was hit by a red Kia Rio on Chester Road at around 12.30am. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but sadly died yesterday (Monday 19 September). His family, who have asked for privacy at this sad time, have paid tribute to the caring, funny and loved teenager. They said:"We are heartbroken to lose our Dan, he was confident, caring, funny, and loved by everyone he met. We are proud to know that as an organ donor this devastating situation will help others." The family are curren…

Latest news Offender management ‘prevents’ 1,000s of crimes - and saves £30-million 20/09/2016 West Midlands Police’s management of the region’s most prolific criminals is estimated to have prevented more than 8,000 offences in the last 12 months - crimes that would have cost society nearly £30-million. The force’s Offender Management teams are currently working with almost 3,700 offenders. Some have among the most chequered CVs in the country with 100s of convictions; many are deemed a high reoffending risk or considered vulnerable and in need of support to get them back on a law-abiding track. Analysis of the group’s crime history suggests they would have amass…

Latest news Life jail for man who murdered ‘uncle figure’ – new DNA technique helps convict killer 19/09/2016 A man who stabbed his “uncle” to death on his own doorstep has been jailed for almost 30 years after West Midlands Police used a ground-breaking DNA technique to prove he was the killer. Paul Cooke (pictured) repeatedly stabbed 64-year-old Ronald Smith – a man he claimed to view “like an uncle” – at his West Bromwich home on 6 May last year the day after being released from prison. Callous Cooke swiped £600 in cash from the Cottage Walk address and locked the door with a key as he made off in the hope the body would lie undetected. A neighbour raised the…

Latest news Jason Haynes missing from Kings Heath 19/09/2016 Police are urgently appealing for help to find a missing man from Birmingham who has not been seen since the weekend. Jason Haynes left his home in Kings Heath at around 11.25am on Saturday morning and officers are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare. The 22-year-old is described as a white man, with a dark complexion, around 5ft 7ins tall, of slim build, with short brown hair and a full beard. He was wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt and black trainers when he disappeared. Anyone who has seen Jason or knows where he may be is asked to contact the Locate Team on 101 or the charity Missing…