Men arrested after threatening armed police in car with crowbar
Two bungling car-jackers attempted to carry out a terrifying robbery on a Black Country street – only to find the vehicle they targeted filled with armed police officers.
The crowbar-wielding crooks had planned to steal the car and surely thought they would be able to make an easy getaway.
But they got more than they bargained for when a potentially serious situation descended into farce.
They reportedly tried to threaten those inside the unmarked car but got a rude awakening when they realised they had stumbled on the West Midlands Firearms Unit out on patrol in Brierley Hill.
Their plan failed spectacularly and it soon became clear they had picked on the wrong target as officers filed out to confront them.
Police confirmed the ill-fated car-jacking attempt happened near Merry Hill shopping centre, on Waterfront Way, at around 5am on Saturday.
A 27-year-old man was arrested and has been released on bail while investigations continue.
West Midlands Police Inspector Simon Guilfoyle struggled to contain his glee as he reported the failed car-jacking online.
He said on Twitter: “Still chuckling about the two lads who pulled up alongside a car and threatened the occupants with a crowbar. I’d love to have seen their faces when they discovered it was a firearms West Midlands Police unit.”
David Vickers, a senior Conservative councillor in Dudley, who served in the police for around 30 years, said he was pleased the would-be robbers got their comeuppance.
He said: “They got exactly what they deserved. There is far too much of this thing going on in the area, I have seen videos of it happening. For once, they picked on the wrong car.
“Their faces would have been a picture when they realised who was in the car.”
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “We received a report from Waterfront Way in Brierley Hill on Saturday, October 27, at around 5am.
One person was arrested, a 27-year-old man, and he has been bailed.”
