Guard hit over head by raiders in Oldbury

A security guard was hit over the head with a piece of scaffolding and tied up as metal thieves struck at a scrap yard in Oldbury, it has been revealed.

Oldbury Metals in Parsonage Street was targeted by a gang of five men in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Owner Lee Stanley said today CCTV shows the raiders first approached the yard at 10pm on Wednesday night, before returning an hour later at 11pm and then at 12.20am yesterday.

The men hit the security guard over the head with a piece of scaffold tubing then tied him up with an extension lead, before scouring the one-acre site.

But they fled empty-handed after jumping over a fence on to Pope's Lane after it emerged that valuable metal had already been removed from the site by bosses.

The security guard, who is aged 58, was left with bruises and was badly shaken.

The men were wearing hooded tracksuits, trainers and and their faces covered.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Deb Edmonds said: "We were called to the site at 6.11am yesterday to a report of a security guard having been tied up."

Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.