Football fan returns after a match to seek out automotive stripped for components
- Chris Pugh watched Birmingham City play Hull City in Birmingham on Tuesday
- When he returned to his automotive after the sport it had been wrecked by thieves
A soccer fan has been left in shock after he returned to his automotive after a match to find it had been utterly stripped for components by thieves.
Chris Pugh, 54, had been cheering on Birmingham City as they beat Hull City 2-1 within the FA Cup on Tuesday night time.
He had parked on Keeley Street, a residential highway close to St Andrew’s stadium, 45 minutes earlier than kick-off at 7.45pm, however after full-time he was shocked to seek out thieves had wrecked the entrance of his Vauxhall Astra.
Chris estimated his automotive had been left unattended for round three hours and in that point it had been stripped of its bonnet, with the headlights and quantity plate additionally being stolen.
Chris posted a photograph of the automotive on X and stated: ‘Spend an hour bemoaning Blues don’t have anything up entrance, get again to my automotive which has nothing left up entrance.’
Chris Pugh, 54, had parked his Vauxhall Astra on Keeley Street, a residential highway close to St Andrew’s stadium, 45 minutes earlier than kick-off at 7.45pm, however when he returned after he sport he was shocked to seek out thieves had stripped it for components
His automotive had been stripped of its bonnet, with the headlights and quantity plate additionally being stolen
Chris, an accountant from Northfield within the metropolis, estimated his automotive had been left unattended for round three hours
Chris, an accountant from Northfield within the metropolis, stated: ‘It’s irritating that [this is] one thing that is occurring rather a lot, and never a lot appears to be being completed.’
Chris stated he reported the crime on-line, however he later acquired an replace that the case had been closed as there have been no additional strains of inquiry.
He fumed: ‘I really feel a component of anger about the concept the thieves have gotten away with it. I take advantage of the automotive to commute for my job. I simply hope I can get a brief car via my insurance coverage.
‘I used to be additionally planning to get to Birmingham’s away sport in opposition to Stoke City this weekend.
‘I at all times park there, it is a common spot. People park anyplace round their floor at their very own peril. I do know individuals have had their automotive completed on that avenue, however not as dangerous.
‘I at all times drive in on weekends. I’ve bought a season ticket so I’m going each residence sport.
‘I’ve had my automotive since new and I pay £230 a month, it was about £22,000 new.
‘Walking down the road as I turned across the nook, there have been solely three vehicles left on the road. I may see a automotive had been completed and I used to be praying it wasn’t mine.
Chris stated he reported the crime on-line, however he later acquired an replace that the case had been closed as there have been no additional strains of inquiry
Thieves struck whereas he was watching Birmingham City play Hull on the St Andrew’s stadium (picured) on Tuesday
‘They took just about every thing off the entrance. My mate reckons they had been after the bulbs and the LED headlamps as they’re about £300.
‘They know there is a sport going if there is a automotive parked close to the bottom. Lots of people have advised me theirs had been completed within the final 12 months.
‘My insurance coverage firm has instructed a storage to get it, however I’ll get a courtesy automotive subsequent week on Thursday. It’s a large frustration greater than something, due to the issues you may’t do, like go locations.
‘The lamps have gone, the bonnet, the crash barrier grill, the entrance grill, and the bumper with the quantity plate. I used to be frightened they’d use my plate on one other automotive. They simply left a pile of bolts.
‘Even if the police had suspicion of the gangs and who they had been, they should put cameras and patrols across the stadium.’
Birmingham has seen a spike within the variety of ‘automotive cannibals’ focusing on town’s residential areas.
Last 12 months greater than 100 suspects had been arrested by West Midlands Police in an effort to crack down on car crimes.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson stated: ‘We acquired a report of a automotive being stripped for components in Keeley Street, Birmingham, on 16 January.
‘At this stage there aren’t any evidential alternatives to assist us establish who was concerned, however we’ll look to behave on any contemporary data we obtain.
‘This form of crime is extremely irritating and upsetting.
‘As effectively as being a large inconvenience, it has a huge effect on victims, on each their livelihoods and private lives.
‘Our officers recurrently perform warrants at suspected chop retailers and have seized hundreds of kilos of stolen automotive components over the past 12 months.’
