Two officers injured as police raid suspected chop shop in Sandwell
Two police officers were injured during a raid on a suspected chop shop in Sandwell, where a 32-year-old man was arrested.
A Land Rover Evoque, which was flagged as being stolen, was tracked to a unit off Forge Lane, Cradley Heath, on Monday morning.
Officers entered the premises and discovered a number of car parts belonging to eight stolen vehicles.
The parts mainly belonged to Mercedes and were from vehicles stolen across Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "Two officers were injured - thankfully not seriously - as they went to detain a man at the unit.
"A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and assault, and taken into custody for questioning. He has been bailed while enquiries continue.
"We know the impact of vehicle crime on our communities and we'd urge anyone who suspects a chop shop is operating near them to inform us."
Tell-tale signs of a chop shop could include:
• Noise coming from units late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
• Vehicles that look out of place going in to workshops and not coming back out.
• Large amounts of car parts being stored, sometimes in odd places such as gardens.
• Shipping containers in unusual locations.
• Expensive items such as engines and gearboxes outside workshops.
To report suspicions please contact West Midlands Police either via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk or by calling 101 anytime.
