Thieves smash their way into storage site

Thieves smashed through a nine-inch thick brick wall in the latest in a string of crimes at a former storage site in Tipton.

They are believed to have used a hammer and chisel to create the four foot wide square hole to get into the building in Fountain Lane yesterday.

Site owner Maurice Hudson, aged 78, managing director of scrap metal and haulage company Hudson's of Dudley Ltd, says thieves and vandals have cost him £100,000 at the site in the past three years.

The thieves, who stole one piece of copper wire cable from the factory, were chased away after Mr Hudson's son, Matthew.

Maurice Hudson says they called 999 straightaway to report the crime but police still have not attended the site.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police was unavailable for comment.