West Midlands Police launches major drive to crack down on crime

Operation Fearless has been funded by police and crime commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster through £880,000 seized from criminals.

The operation is initially being rolled out in and around Erdington High Street, which was identified as the launch area based on crime trends, data and consultation with partners. It is estimated crime in the area has cost the economy £7 million in the past year.

Mr Foster said a dedicated police team is already taking “daily action” on the crimes that affect the community the most.

Working with Birmingham City Council and other agencies such as immigration, bus and rail companies, and businesses, the operation will target:

• Drugs;
• Anti-social behaviour;
• Robbery;
• Violence;
• Shoplifting;
• Sale of stolen goods; and
• Exploitation.

The PCC said Erdington was “just the first part of the Fearless story”, with more parts of the region set to benefit in the coming months.

More than 100 people, including partners from across the region, were at Villa Park to mark the official launch of Operation Fearless.

Mr Foster said while it marked the formal start, the team has “already been hard at work in Erdington”.

Since the end of November, the Fearless team has:

• Made 32 arrests from the High Street for offences including wounding, theft, drugs, possession of knives and recall to prison;
• Made three arrests for immigration matters;
• Seized eight bladed articles such as knives;
• Carried out 81 stop and searches, of which 28 led to recoveries;
• Carried out 18 drug seizures resulting in two arrests for possession with intent to supply and 16 referrals to drugs support workers;
• Seized 26,724 items of illicit and counterfeit goods worth £1 million, including tobacco and cigarettes;
• Seized 565 items of unlicensed prescribed medication;
• Secured two orders banning habitual shoplifters from the High Street; and
• Served nine warnings on people causing anti-social behaviour.

The PCC said the team has also been working with Immigration, Trading Standards and HMRC.

Mr Foster said feedback from people who live and work in Erdington “has been fantastic”, with many already noticing the difference.

He said: “I am pleased to announce that I am investing nearly £1 million from proceeds of crime recovered from criminals, to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Operation Fearless is launching first, in and around Erdington High Street.

“West Midlands Police, working with partners, will be robustly targeting the crime and anti-social behaviour associated with drugs, robbery, shop theft, violence, stolen goods and exploitation.

“I am committed to ensuring there is a reassuring and visible presence out on the streets to keep people, families, businesses and local communities safe and secure.”

Detective Superintendent Jim Munro, who is heading Operation Fearless, said: “Every day, people in Erdington should feel safe, but we’ve been listening to community concerns, and we understand that people aren’t feeling safe.

“So we are now launching Operation Fearless to ensure that people feel safe coming to Erdington to live, work and shop.

“Working with a whole host of partners, we’ll be making this area safer and dealing with the crimes that matter to people the most.

“We hear you, we understand you and what matters to the community the most. What we need now is your support.”

Councillor Nicky Brennan, Cabinet Member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities, said: “Operation Fearless is a step in the right direction in the ongoing efforts to combat criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in Erdington. The safety of those living and working there is paramount, and we will work with all our partners to prevent crime in the area.

“We are delighted West Midlands Police has launched the pilot of Operation Fearless, a problem solving partnership approach to tackle criminal activity which will be vital to building relationships across communities to deal with the growing challenges around crime and anti-social behaviour.”

Kerry Blakeman, head of security and policing at Transport for West Midlands, added: “We are delighted to be supporting Operation Fearless in the Erdington area with dedicated patrols on the transport network, we will be utilising our dedicated transport safety officers and CCTV to gather information and intelligence to support prosecutions.

“The transport network is vital for members of the public as they go about their day-to-day business and it’s only right they feel safe on their journeys.”