Men arrested after spate of car thefts
Three men have appeared in court as part of an investigation into a car-theft gang operating in the Black Country.
The men have been charged in relation to the theft of three cars in the last three weeks.
A Ford Fiesta Titanium was stolen from Hales Lane, Smethwick, on Friday, while a Fiesta and a Vauxhall Astra were taken from a driveway during a burglary at a property in Frampton Way in Pheasey, Walsall, overnight between July 4 and 5.
Luke Hodgson, aged 19, from Lower Higley Close, Quinton, and Joseph Brennan, aged 20, from Tamerton Road, Bartley Green, Birmingham, were charged with aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.
And Ronan Lewis, aged 18, from Goodman Street, Ladywood, is accused of going equipped to steal.
All three appeared at Dudley Magistrates Court today, where their cases were adjourned for a later date.
Another man, 24-year-old Jacob Brown from Bowling Green Lane, Handsworth, is set to appear at the same court on August 8 charged with taking a vehicle without consent as part the same investigation.
Meanwhile four teenagers have been arrested in connection to a string of high-value car-jackings and robberies in Birmingham.
The three 18-year-old men and 16-year-old male youth have been released under investigation after a Range Rover was taken in Jervoise Street, West Bromwich, and a BMW was stolen by four masked men in York Road, Handsworth.
The teens were detained after police spotted them travelling in a Range Rover Evoque believed to be wearing cloned registration plates in Birmingham City Centre in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Evoque was stolen during a car-jacking in Hervey Road, Erdington, on Sunday.
