Car cannibal victim targeted twice as thieves strip replacement hire car on ‘plagued street’

A victim of car cannibals has been left without wheels after thieves stripped both her car, and a hire vehicle given to her while repairs we carried out. So prolific are the raids on parked motors, hire companies are now refusing to provide replacement vehicles for fear they’ll be targeted. T residential street near is a busy shopping parade in Birmingham .

Somerset Road in Erdington , sits at right angles to Gravelly Lane, a busy road linking Boldmere in Sutton Coldfield to the north, and shops near Erdington station in the south. But it has become a haven for car parts thieves who have stripped five cars in as many months. One victim who is 24 and works at Birmingham City University , needs her car as she is often out-and-about visiting schools.

Her car, a Renault Clio, was stripped of parts in Somerset Road back in November last year with thieves striking overnight on Monday, November 28 into, Tuesday the 29 th . Read more: Terrifying car cannibals ‘drive at’ woman’ during stripping spree That car was taken to a garage in Oldbury , as nearer ones would not take it and remains there almost five months on as the dealership waits for parts. The insurance company will not write the car off as in theory, as a 2018 plate, it is worth too much.

But instead, it has forked out on hire cars, first a Hyundai, which had to be replaced due to faulty tyres. But the replacement was a Vauxhall Corsa, a favourite among the so-called ‘cannibals’. And sure enough, within days of her having it in Somerset Road, that car was stripped too at around 9.

45pm, witnessed by a nearby shopkeeper. The shop worker called the police but they said they would not be attending. So after initially being spooked, the criminals returned ‘mob-handed’ to ‘finish off the job’.

Her exasperated dad, Martin Aldridge, contacted BirminghamLive and said now his daughter is not being offered another hire car as Somerset Road is too high a risk. He said there had been at least five cars stripped that he knew of in Somerset Road making it a blackspot for owners and insurers. He said: “It’s either Clios or Corsas that are getting done.

My daughter had a Clio that was stripped and was then given a Hyundai hire car. She had that a while but then it was noticed that its tyres were faulty. “That was changed for a Corsa.

It was parked in the same position as the Clio, near the junction with Gravelly Lane, and the same thing happened. Now the hire car company said ‘it’s too high a risk’ to let her have a car at this address. ” Read more: Car cannibals strip vehicle leaving disabled owner stranded Mr Aldridge continued: “With the Corsa, my daughter had just come home from work on Wednesday, March 29.

She’d had it five days. A guy who owns a shop said he saw two guys and they ran off. He called 999 and they said they wouldn’t come out.

“The four came back and finished the job and put the bits in the back of their car and drove off. The police closed the case due to ‘not enough information’. “Since that happened another Corsa and another Clio have been stripped in the road.

There’s five I know of since November. ” Read more: Police bust suspected chop shop recovering 14 stolen cars & bikes The 56-year-old dad said he had contacted his councillor, Robert Alden and MP, Paulette Hamilton, with the councillor contacting the chief of police, to find out why they did not come out and they said they were ‘investigating’. He added: “The problem is it’s a bit of a hotspot for it.

Because they did not come out they missed an opportunity to catch them in the act. The question I have is where do the parts go? My daughter’s Clio is awaiting parts. They are creating their own market for them.

“I have lived in Erdington a long time. It’s rough around the edges. The worst you’d get was the s*** kicked out of you.

But now they are knived and tooled up. “My daughter is frustrated as she can’t have a car at the moment. Her insurance has gone through the roof if she buys another car.

They need to write her one off so she can get another. I’d like to see the police do something about it. See some police reaction.

Some police on the beat out patrolling. ” The car cannibals have been active in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield in recent weeks, targeting four cars in one night near a park, and leaving a disabled man without wheels after targeting his car in a smash and grab. ‘Car cannibals’ smashed into a Peugeot 3008 in St James Road in Mere Green in Sutton Coldfield stripping the front of the car, leaving its owner, who has mobility issues, stranded as the car has a special hoist to lift his scooter A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We received reports of a car being stripped of parts in Erdington in November and of a similar incident in the same area in March.

We do not underestimate the impact this crime has on people’s lives and are working hard to bring offenders to justice. “We know the huge inconvenience of vehicle crime on people’s livelihoods, and personal lives, which is why we’re determined to take this action. We are working to reduce these crimes, reviewing CCTV footage where possible and stepping up patrols to gather information on those suspected of being involved in this activity.

“Anyone with any information on vehicle crimes taking part in their area should contact us via LiveChat on our website or by calling 101. Alternatively, information can be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. “We also urge vehicle owners to: • Park in a well-lit area, ideally covered by CCTV and registered with a Park Mark scheme; • Make sure your car alarm is activated when you leave the vehicle.

Lock it, Check it; • Use any security devices available, such as locking wheel nuts, a disklok; • Speak to your local dealership about settings and security upgrades available; • Take a look at our vehicle crime prevention page – Stealer Street. ” Stay up to date with the very latest from the city our Birmingham News Email Updates. READ NEXT ‘Highly dangerous’ paedo ‘tried to meet seven-year-old girl for sex’ Passengers attacked in two robberies on rail line minutes apart Terrifying moment dad stabbed on drive in front of wife and child Most stolen car brands in West Midlands according to police Masked thugs batter cyclist with metal bar and threaten to stab him.