News Room

Latest news Officers mark 100th anniversary of Battle of the Somme 01/07/2016 Officers placed Poppies at Aldridge Cenotaph to mark the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Today at 7.28am, we placed a spray of poppies at Aldridge Cenotaph to mark the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Pc Ian Mason and Jaqui Barber with others at the Cenotaph The battle, in Northern France, was one of the bloodiest battles of World War One. On the first day - 1 July 1916 - over 19,000 British soldiers lost their lives and almost 40,000 were injured. The 100 year anniversary is significant to PC Ian Mason as his great-uncle, William Orpe, fought and di…

Latest news Man arrested in connection with Handsworth bag snatch 30/06/2016 A man has been arrested after a woman was knocked to the floor and dragged across the ground during a handbag snatch in Handsworth. The 74-year-old woman was attacked in Rookery Road at around 3.55pm on Tuesday 14 June - she suffered severe bruising following the theft. Officers have been carrying out a thorough investigation and after CCTV evidence was examined a 39-year-old man was arrested from an address in Handsworth today (30 June). He is currently in police custody and is being questioned about the offence. Sergeant Hannah Whitehouse, from Birmingham Police, said: “This was a real…

Latest news Boy praised for saving mum from knifeman - attacker jailed for sixteen years 30/06/2016 A man who launched a frenzied knife attack on his partner following a drinking binge at a memorial event has been jailed for 16 years. Kevin Nash repeatedly stabbed the woman in their Nechells home in the early hours of 22 November last year - and then turned the knife on her 13-year-old son when he bravely tried protecting his critically injured mum. One of the wounds punctured the 55-year-old’s jugular vein and when West Midlands Police arrived to arrest Nash shortly after 1am an officer described the scene as "like something from a horror movie". Hours earlier N…

Latest news BBC presenter racially abused in Coventry 30/06/2016 An investigation has been launched after a BBC radio presenter was racially abused in Coventry city centre on Wednesday morning (29 June). Trish Adudu was subjected to the comments at around 9.30am as she walked to her car on Cox Road by a man who was riding past on a bicycle. It comes just days after West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson promised a zero tolerance stance on hate crime following last week’s referendum result. Inspector Alastair Orencas is leading the investigation and has vowed to use all available resources to track down the person responsible and bring them to justice. …

Latest news Serial handbag robber jailed 30/06/2016 A serial handbag robber who targeted lone women in Birmingham has been jailed. James Franklin,38, of Bartley Drive, Bartley Green, targeted women in three robberies in Weoley Castle and Bartley Green in May this year. His crime spree came to an end when eagle-eyed officers, recognised Franklin – who was walking along Weoley Castle Square - from CCTV that they had just viewed in connection with one of the robberies. And at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday (27 June) Franklin admitted to the three robberies and was jailed for a total of six years. In one robbery he snatched a handbag from an 80-year-old woman a…

Latest news Walsall woman jailed for stabbing former lover to death 29/06/2016 A Walsall woman who admitted stabbing her former lover after a drunken argument, has today (Wednesday 29 June) been jailed for 13 years and 4 months at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Stella Downing, aged 37 of no fixed address, had earlier pleaded guilty to the murder of 56-year-old Glyn Evans at his address in Walsall Street, Willenhall on 28 December 2015. A second man, Martin Stokes, aged 49, from St Giles Road, Willenhall, admitted perverting the course of justice and has been sentenced to 12 months. It was found he had lied to police investigators about how long he had been in the house…

Latest news Concerns grow for missing Coventry man 29/06/2016 Police are asking for your help to find a missing Coventry man. Matthew Clarke, aged 37, has not been seen since he left his home in Clay Lane in Coventry at around 7.30am today (Wednesday 29 June). He has not been in contact with his family and they are worried for his safety. Matthew is described as white, slim build and has receding ginger hair. He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, a black jacket, black waterproof trousers and brown boots. He has tattoos on his right arm of the Tazmanian devil and a Ying Yang sign. Officers are extremely concerned about Matthew and urgently need to trace hi…

Latest news Police appeal for help to find missing Walsall man 29/06/2016 Police in Walsall are searching for a local man who went missing from home this morning (Wednesday 29 June) − and are urging members of the public to report any suspected sightings. Neil Shelton, aged 41, has not been seen since leaving his home in Rough Hay Road, Darlaston, at around 7:45am; he has not been in contact with family and they are worried for his safety. Mr Shelton is described as white, of slim build, with receding dark brown hair and a goatee beard. He was last seen wearing black combat trousers, a black t-shirt with a red and white logo and either a khaki green jacket or light…

Latest news Kent man missing after Oldbury hotel stay − have you seen him? 29/06/2016 Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a man reported missing after checking out of a Black Country hotel. Engineer Martin Cadman, aged 33, was last seen yesterday morning (28 June) at around 5.50am when he left the Travelodge Hotel in Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, where he was staying for work. He has not been in contact with his family or work colleagues and they are worried for his safety. Martin, who is from Tunbridge Wells, is described as around 5ft 7ins tall, of slim build, with short curly black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing dark blue …

Latest news Brave Bobby gets new Police Dog named in his honour 29/06/2016 A new West Midlands Police dog has been named after a brave three year-old boy who is battling a brain tumour. The springer spaniel has been called after young dog-lover Bobby Humphries who is receiving weekly bouts of chemotherapy as he fights the illness. Naming the eight week-old pup Bobby was the idea of PC Kerry Lawson who has got to know the young boys’ family after meeting them at Heartlands Hospital. The Birmingham North Police officer approached the force’s dogs unit who were more than happy to accept the request. Young Bobby, from Yardley, got to meet his namesake for the first …

Latest news Man in wheelchair exposed himself to shoppers 29/06/2016 Police in Wolverhampton are urging witnesses to come forward after a man in a wheelchair allegedly exposed himself to shoppers on a supermarket car park. It’s understood the man was at Sainsbury’s on Alexandra Street, Chapel Ash, between 3-4pm on 13 June when he exposed himself to two women. The women reported the incident to store staff but didn’t leave any contact details − and now officers are asking them to come forward to help with enquiries. PC Leigh Draper said: “The women described a young man in a wheelchair being involved. We’d like to hear from them so we can understand what happened …

Latest news Chief Constable vows zero tolerance on post-Referendum hate crime 28/06/2016 West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson has promised continued “strength and friendship” for minority groups in light of the referendum result – and a zero tolerance stance on hate crime. National hate crime reporting portal True Vision registered an increase in allegations since Friday’s ‘Brexit’ decision but that’s not been mirrored across the West Midlands where levels of recorded hate crime have remained stable. Neighbourhood officers are taking extra time to visit the region’s minority communities in light of the referendum vote to offer reassurance and encourag…

Latest news Police appeal after elderly woman is dragged to ground 28/06/2016 Police investigating an attack on an elderly woman in Handsworth, have released CCTV images in a bid to trace the man responsible. The 74-year-old woman was grabbed and dragged along the ground as she crossed Rookery Road around 3.47pm on June 14. A man came up behind her and grabbed her handbag, before trying to run off. When the woman tried to hang onto her bag, the man dragged her into the road. The woman lost her footing and was pulled across the road, before hitting an island kerb. The man, described as black and wearing a black hooded jacket, (which appears as green on the CC…

Latest news Police appeal for information after bottle of accelerant thrown in shop 28/06/2016 Police are investigating after a Walsall shop worker had an ignited bottle of accelerant thrown at him. The incident took place at a Halal butchers in Wednesbury Road, Pleck at 5.25pm yesterday (Monday 27 June). A man, described as white, 6ft tall and wearing a blue jacket, went into the store and threw the bottle at a member of staff inside the premises. The bottle struck the man causing bruising, some fire damage was caused to the shop after the bottle ignited. The incident is being investigated by officers, who are currently making enquiries and examining CCTV footag…

Latest news Birmingham man charged with preparing for acts of terrorism 27/06/2016 A Birmingham man has been charged with preparing for acts of terrorism contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Zahid Hussain, formerly of Naseby Road in Alum Rock, is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court tomorrow (Tuesday 28 June). The 28-year-old was arrested on 9 June 2015 in Naseby Road initially for possessing an offensive weapon in public. He was later held by West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit detectives after a search of his home recovered explosives and other suspicious materials, although there was no immediate risk to the public. Since his arrest he h…