Gun crime threat as Wolverhampton police base closes

Gun crime and gang warfare which once plagued an area of Wolverhampton could return to the streets when a police base closes its doors, it is feared.

The facility at a block of flats in Heath Town is among the first of 28 stations being closed by West Midlands Police as part of £8.6 million cuts. The base is closing on Sunday January 31.

Although rarely accessed by the public, the base ensured a regular police presence at the Chervil Rise flats.

David Hawtin, a neighbourhood watch leader for the area, is concerned its closure will mean increased crime at the estate.

As few as three years ago the city was blighted by four main gangs including the Firetown Gang which were known to frequent the estate.

The base ensured a regular police presence at flats in the area

Mr Hawtin, aged 70, said: "This is very dangerous. It is disgusting. This is really inviting crime.

"The estate has had a reputation for guns and gangs.

"They used to call it the Firetown gang and they used to like shoot outs with the Reans Crew and the Park Village Crew.

"The police base here put a cork in the bottle for a while but what will happen now? We don't want to see the gun crime return." Businesses based on the estate have also expressed concern about what impact the removal of the base will have.

The estate used to be regularly frequented by gangs such as the firetown Gang

Fatiha Guled, whose husband owns the estate's Atlas shop, was stunned on hearing the base will close.

She said: "This place is not safe but when the police were there it made the naughty people a little bit scared and us feel a bit safer."

Shop owner Fatiha Guled said the local police base helped people feel safer

Other bases formally closed from tomorrow include one at Merridale Court in Graiseley, Wolverhampton, and others in Great Barr and Netherton.

More Wolverhampton stations, at Oxley, Pennwood Court and Staveley House, will all shut on March 30, and Tettenhall closes on February 28 next year.

The bases at Heath Town and Graiseley are owned by Wolverhampton Homes and will now be handed to them. Elsewhere across the Black Country, Dudley station will go on August 31, with Halesowen station due to close on January 31, 2017.

Kingswinford police station is expected to close within the next 18 months.

ACC Michele Larmour, force lead for local policing, said: "Many of our buildings

have high running costs, are poorly located and are not fit for future operational purposes."