THE owner of a motocross bike which was stolen from a home in Tamworth is making a plea to the public for information.
The Honda CRF250 which is mainly red in colour was stolen from INSIDE a home in the Birds Bush Road area of Belgrave, either late last night or this morning, Monday 19 February.
The thieves smashed a lock off the door and removed a window of a conservatory at the rear of the family home to gain access to the bike as the owners and their young daughter lay asleep upstairs.
The bike has red and white new hand grips and an orange break lever amongst the distinctive parts. It also has gold wheels as well as polished up engine parts and frame.
The stolen Honda CFR250. Do you know where it is?
Nathan Jackson, aged 26, told Tamworth Informed how he has spent a lot of money to get the bike looking as it does now, with a new engine rebuild and parts. He said that the bike is worth around £3,000.
He said: “I use the bike as a hobby at the weekend, I have spent a hell of a lot of money to get it looking as it does now.”
Anyone with information in relation to the burglary or the whereabouts of the bike can call Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting crime number FZ/13106/18.
You can also report information about crime by contacting the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
EXPERTS from a variety of organisations will be on hand at a special awareness-raising event at Ankerside Shopping Centre tomorrow (Tuesday, February 20) to share advice and technical support on how parents can help keep their children safe online.
Representatives from Tamworth Borough Council, the police, NSPCC, Teen Spirit and O2 will join together to answer questions on all aspects of online safety, including cyber bullying and child sexual exploitation. O2 will also offer technical support for setting up parental controls on the various devices children may use to access the internet.
The event, which has been organised by Tamworth Community Safety Partnership in conjunction with Ankerside Shopping Centre and O2, takes place between 10am and 2pm and people are invited to visit the stand at any time during that period.
It marks the culmination of activities surrounding the 2018 Safer Internet Day, which has seen Tamworth Borough Council’s Play and Education Officer delivering online safety talks to hundreds of primary school children and parents during the last two weeks.
Although the officer visits schools throughout the year, online safety sessions are often concentrated around the annual Safer Internet Day, which this year took place on February 6.
Tuesday’s event provides parents with children of all ages access to first-hand help and advice from a range of relevant organisations.
Cllr Stephen Doyle, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Communities and Wellbeing, said: “The internet is a valuable resource for young people growing up in this technological age. However, it can also pose risks and dangers which children and their parents need to be aware of.
“These risks can be mitigated as long as users know what measures they can take to protect themselves online. Parents play an important role in ensuring their children know the dangers, such as not sharing personal information, creating strong passwords and being aware that people can lie about their identities online.
“While we are talking to children about this all year round, Safer Internet Day does raise the profile of the issue and we take advantage of this to spread the safety message as widely as possible. The event at Ankerside Shopping Centre on Tuesday, February 20 will provide people with the opportunity to get all the latest safety information and advice, as well as practical support from O2 in setting up devices for children to use more safely. I would encourage people to visit and find out more.”
The event will take place in Ankerside Shopping Centre
Jeff Wigley, Ankerside Shopping Centre manager, said he is looking forward to raising awareness of how adults as well as children can use the internet more safely.
“Here at Ankerside, our O2 store is extremely active in helping the public understand technology and the various devices that are available,” he said.
“More importantly, O2 will be advising shoppers on how to set up devices for children, as well as assemble parental controls on their own phones, tablets and desktops that little ones use for games.
“This has been a fantastic opportunity to partner with Tamworth Community Safety Partnership and O2 to bring knowledge of the risks of browsing the internet, as well as how to avoid the chances of danger whilst online and we’re sure the event will be a huge success with the people of Tamworth.”
Information and safety advice is available from a number of resources including:
AN elderly woman conned out of more than £60,000 turned the tables on her cruel tricksters by luring them back with the promise of more money – and led them right into a West Midlands Police trap!
The 92-year-old was stung in a so-called ‘Courier Fraud’ after a conman called her Solihull home posing as a detective claiming her bank account had been hacked.
He persuaded the trusting pensioner to withdraw £8,300 in cash “for examination” and hand it to Zohaib Khalid – a student paid to play the role of police courier – when he visited on the morning of 19 July last year.
Later that day the fraudster called the woman’s landline and talked her into buying two Rolex watches from a town centre jewellers – with a total value of £53,000 – and again pass them to 20-year-old Khalid.
However, the woman later suspected she’d been duped and when he tried his luck again the following day – this time asking her to part with £13,700 as part of a supposed undercover operation – she alerted West Midlands Police.
And when Khalid turned up to collect the latest consignment officers were lying in wait to make an arrest.
He will be the ‘Butt’ of the jokes in prison after being caught thanks to a 93-year-old! Conman Irfan Butt was jailed for targeting elderly in Courier Fraud scam.
He will be the ‘Butt’ of the jokes in prison after being caught thanks to a 93-year-old! Conman Irfan Butt was jailed for targeting elderly in Courier Fraud scam.
Examination of his phone led officers to identify Mohammed Irfan Butt as the likely orchestrator of the scam and he was arrested from his home in Kingsbury, London, on 16 August.
Call traffic on the 24-year-old’s phone was analysed and enabled detectives to trace more people who’d received fraud phishing calls from him – but thankfully none had parted with money after suspecting it was a con.
Both initially denied conspiring to commit fraud – with Aston University student Khalid saying he was oblivious to the scam – but later admitted the offence.
Butt was jailed for four-and-a-half years and Khalid, from Bridge Close in Sparkhill, handed a three-year prison sentence.
More D-wing than DHL… Student Zohaib Khalid jailed for three years - he acted as the ‘courier’
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Richard Taberner, said: “These types of offences are truly despicable: offenders target elderly victims and exploit their vulnerabilities to trick them into handing over money.
“Khalid was paid £500 by Butt for each trip and agreed a collection password with the victim in a bid to give the scam more authenticity.
“He claimed to be merely acting as a courier and had no knowledge of the scam – but we found web searches on his phone relating to sentencing guidelines for fraud so it’s clear he suspected he was committing an offence.
“Almost £1,000 in cash was recovered and handed back to the victim and – if she is unable to be compensated through her bank – we’ll be pushing for a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) case against the offenders to recover money on her behalf.
“She did brilliantly in alerting us once she realised she’d been tricked – and then played her part in luring Khalid back to her home and allowing us to catch him in the act.”
More D-wing than DHL… Student Zohaib Khalid jailed for three years - he acted as the ‘courier’ Courier fraud works by scammers calling and pretending to be police officers reporting suspicious activity on a bank account; they may claim to have arrested someone with a cloned bank card, that money has been taken, or cash in their account is counterfeit.
Some people fall for the scam because they believe the bogus PC’s story has been verified by a follow-up call to their bank – but because the scammers don’t hang up the victim is unwittingly still speaking to them and not a bank official.
Police officers or genuine bank officials would never ask you to divulge PIN numbers over the phone or send couriers round to collect cards or cash.
If you receive a call requesting this, hang up and contact police – but check for an open line or ideally call from a different phone.
Please reinforce these crime prevention tips with elderly relatives, friends and neighbours – and help protect them against fraud.
A STREET racer has been handed a three-month prison sentence after admitting breaching a Car Cruising Injunction in Birmingham when he drove at speeds up to 70mph in a 30 zone.
The High Court order - which runs until October 2019 - means anyone caught racing or joining unauthorised vehicle rallies on the city’s streets will be held in contempt of the ruling and can be put before a judge.
Daejon Nanton, aged 18 from Walsall, admitted contempt of court after flouting the ban on the evening of Sunday 14 January.
Officers carried out a pre-planned operation in the Nechells and Washwood Heath areas of the city responding to complaints from residents about people gathering to race or perform stunts in their cars.
The injunction spans the whole of Birmingham and also covers wider anti-social motoring like riding in convoy, performing stunts, or revving engines, blaring horns and playing loud music at vehicle gatherings.
Nanton appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court yesterday (Feb 16) where the judge ruled that his sentence would be suspended for the term of the injunction. He was also fined £300.
Three other men arrested on the same night also appeared at court:
Abdur-Rahman Ditta, aged 27 from Bromford, admitted breach of the injunction and will be sentenced at a later date.
Tyrone Gordon, aged 31 from Nechells, and Jermaine Saa, aged 26 from Dunstall, Wolverhampton, denied the offence and will stand trial in a month’s time.
Superintendent Dean Hatton, Head of Force Traffic, said: “The sentence handed to Nanton today sends a clear message that the courts will not tolerate this anti-social and dangerous activity on our streets and anyone flouting the injunction will face a prison sentence.
“Should Nanton be caught taking part in any further street racing, he will serve his prison sentence along with punishment for any subsequent offences.
Supt Hatton added: “We’ve taken a really firm stance on street racers in recent years: more than 200 have been taken to court and handed heavy fines and driving bans.
“And the High Court order - secured by Birmingham City Council - now gives us additional powers to take offenders to court.
“Signs have been put up at the roadside on hotspot routes, including the A47 Fort Parkway, A38, A45 and city centre ‘Middleways’, warning drivers about the Injunction. There are no excuses.”
MORE than 150 head teachers, teachers, lecturers and educational representatives attended a child sexual exploitation (CSE) awareness event yesterday morning (Wednesday 14 February).
The event, organised by Staffordshire Police and the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), showcased Loudmouth Education and Training’s innovative theatre production at Stoke City Football Club.
Loudmouth presented their two key CSE presentations; Working for Marcus for 13-year-olds and upwards and Helping Hands for eight to 11-year-olds. Over 17,000 took part in the Working for Marcus programme for 2017. Helping Hands is a new programme that has been funded by the Home Office and is supported by the NSPCC.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicki Furlong, CSE lead for Staffordshire Police, said: “This is an ideal opportunity for education professionals to see for themselves the high quality CSE prevention work first hand and hear about the impact of the programme on the children and young people who have participated.”
Detective Inspector Kay Wallace, West Midlands Regional Coordinator for ROCU, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to view Loudmouth’s innovative and well researched safeguarding programmes. Both programmes provide a safe and engaging forum for children and young people to learn how to spot the signs and seek support around unhealthy relationships and different forms of abuse.”
Loudmouth Education and Training is a highly respected and innovative theatre in education company. They provide a range of programmes and formats that can support safeguarding and relationship education. Visit http://www.loudmouth.co.uk for more information.
Please visit http://knowaboutcse.co.uk/ for information for children, young people, parents, carers and professionals on how to spot the signs of child sexual exploitation.
To report child sexual exploitation, call police on 101 or 999 if a child is in immediate danger.
THIS is the moment a gunman fired at a crowded Birmingham pub after being turned away for being drunk, before fleeing the scene and being dramatically arrested at gunpoint.
Drunken Lee Embley opened fire after becoming angry at door staff who refused him entry into the Harborne Stores on the High Street.
He was escorted away from the entrance, and crystal clear CCTV footage released today shows how he reached into his waistband, pulled out a black revolver and fired once into the air as he casually walked away.
The bullet smashed through the window of an upstairs bedroom at the pub, where a family with children sometimes sleep.
Embley, 42, got into his car, parked a few metres away on Station Road, and drove off but firearms officers in the area were alerted and quickly spotted it on Lordswood Road.
When they tried to stop Embley, he made off at speeds of up to 80mph on 30mph roads.
He led police on a chase for nearly three miles before crashing into a ‘no entry’ sign on Alwold Road, Weoley Castle, where he was arrested.
The gun was recovered by police
Body worn video from the officers shows the moment they spotted the Colt .41 double action revolver, made in around 1912, lying on the road next to the car.
It had two bullets in the barrel, and one spent cartridge.
Bullets were still in the weapon
Ammunition recovered by police
Embley told police he had drunk eight cans of strong cider and eight double brandies before the shooting and did not know where he was when he woke up in a police cell.
He pleaded guilty to nine charges following the drama, which unfolded at around 9.05pm on 13 January.
At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (12 January), he was jailed for eight years for firearms and ammunition offences and another year for dangerous driving.
Embley, of no fixed address, was also banned from driving for six years.
JAILED - Lee Embley
DC Ian Leech, from the complex crime team, said: “This was a completely reckless shooting which could easily have resulted in the death of an innocent bystander.
“Embley then put further lives at risk by driving while massively over the limit and it is by luck rather than fortune that no one was seriously hurt or killed.
“Thanks to the excellent police work by the two firearms officers who spotted the car and then put their lives on the line by confronting Embley, we have taken another weapon with the potential to kill off the streets.
“Gun crime is a top priority for West Midlands Police, and the sentence handed down shows that anyone who thinks it’s acceptable to carry or use these deadly weapons will face the full force of the law when they are caught.”
Last year, the force seized more than 140 firearms linked to crime in the West Midlands.
Anyone with information on firearms can ring the force on 101.
You can also report information about crime by contacting the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
A MAN and woman from Nuneaton have been jailed after being found guilty of the murder of a Nuneaton mum.
On Friday (9 February) Dominic Wallis and Elizabeth Ellis were convicted of the murder of Dionne Clark. Dionne died after being tied up and beaten by Wallis and Ellis.
Yesterday (Monday 12 February) at Birmingham Crown Court Wallis, 28, of Drydon Close, Nuneaton, was sentenced to life - he must serve a minimum of 18 years.
Ellis, 20, of Skey Drive, Nuneaton, was sentenced to life - she must serve a minimum of 14 years.
Dominic Wallis and Elizabeth Ellis
Wallis’ father, Kingsley Wallis, 55, of Dryden Close, Nuneaton, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Wallis’ mother, Karen Wallis, 59, of Dryden Close, Nuneaton, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Following Dionne’s death, Kingsley Wallis and Karen Wallis both lied to officers and removed items from the house before the police were called.
Kingsley Wallis and Karen Wallis
Detective Sergeant Owen Fell from the Warwickshire Police Major Investigation Unit, said: “What happened that night was truly shocking. Dionne was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her until it was ended in the most horrific way by Wallis and Ellis.
“This wasn’t a moment of madness, but a savage and sustained attack that left Dionne with almost 70 injuries.
“From the moment this investigation started, Wallis and Ellis lied and attempted to cover their tracks. They have taken no responsibility for their actions and shown no remorse.
“The jury saw through the lies; they were both responsible for Dionne’s death and they must now pay the consequences for their actions.”
FOUR men from Burton-upon-Trent, who exploited vulnerable girls for sexual gratification, have pleaded guilty at Stafford Crown Court.
Taiyab Hussain, Mohammed Hizar Rizwan, Shaheem Ratyal and Sohail Raja Ali pleaded guilty to child sex offences on 9 February.
In May last year, one of the men’s victims bravely confided in a family member and Staffordshire Police began an investigation. Soon after a second victim also came forward and reported offences to police.
Officers were told by four girls, who were just 13 and 14-years-old at the time of the offences, that they had been sexually abused between December 2016 and March 2017. The abuse first came to light after one of the girls watched a film that warned how girls can be groomed without realising it and felt brave enough to tell her father. The men were subsequently arrested.
Hussain, 19, of Shobnall Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of possession of an indecent photograph of a child.
Rizwan, 18, of Derby Road, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Ratyal, 19, of Grange Street, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and five counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Ali, 19, of Weston Park Avenue, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
All four men will be sentenced on 16 April at Stafford Crown Court.
Detective Inspector Simon Caton, the Senior Investigating Officer for the investigation, from the force’s Child Sexual Exploitation Team, said: “These vulnerable girls found themselves in an impossible situation at the hands of these men who clearly acted together using coercion and intimidation to take advantage of them. They exploited the victims for sexual gratification.
“In this case, I would like to pay tribute to the girls’ incredible bravery in coming forward initially and throughout this long and complex investigation.
“Tackling child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, both current and non-recent remains an absolute priority for us.
“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report this to us, we will listen and you and your families will be supported by specially-trained detectives and social workers. If you are or have been a victim or you are worried about something, and you don’t feel ready to talk to the police, please speak to someone you trust.”
John Wood, chair of the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: “The primary concern of all the agencies involved in the investigation has been to safeguard the young girls making the allegations and ensure that they have been seen, heard and protected.
“In recent years there has been visible progress from safeguarding campaigns including ‘Say no to Abuse’ to make children and young people aware of the different ways in which they can be targeted. It is encouraging that this prosecution arose from one of the victims viewing a film which warned how girls can be groomed without realising it.
“Today’s conviction sends a strong message that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated in our communities and that people who report such matters will be listened to and supported.
“The safeguarding children board, working with a wide range of connected partners, will do everything that it reasonably can do in its joint efforts to prevent child sexual abuse.”
Please visit ‘know about cse’ for information for children, young people, parents, carers and professionals on how to spot the signs of child sexual exploitation.
To report child sexual exploitation, call police on 101 or 999 if a child is in immediate danger.
OFFICERS across the Midlands will be focusing on catching those using and carrying knives and educating young people to tackle the growing number of incidents.
The week-long campaign, which Staffordshire Police is taking part in, is part of the national Operation Sceptre campaign from 12-16 February, will see lots of proactive activity to tackle knife crime in the county.
Sadly Staffordshire is like nearly all forces in the UK, with a repeated rise in knife crime year-on-year. In the last 12 months, Staffordshire saw a 15.7% increase in knife crimes, with a 30% increase the year before.
Staffordshire Police say that during the week you will see high visibility patrols in areas where knife crime is more common, increased stop checks and stop searches where powers allow, and schools and youth groups will be visited by officers to talk about the dangers of knife crime and how you can respond to a knife injury.
Superintendent Ricky Fields, head of operational services at Staffordshire Police, said: “We tackle the issue of knives every week of the year, but we are hopeful that this week we can help to stop the increasing trend of knife crime in Staffordshire and further afield.
“There will be lots of positive action from us and partners across the county to demonstrate how dangerous knives are and the consequences of carrying them, using them or just being in a group of people that use them.
“If you know someone that chooses to use or carry a knife, please call 101 in confidence or, for guaranteed anonymity, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
A knife found by officers in West Midlands Police today during a visit to people believed to have ordered weapons online.
Neighbouring force, West Midlands Police will also be taking part in the campaign where officers will work with the Border Force to intercept weapons that have been shipped in internationally after being brought on the internet.
Undercover operations designed to root out shops that sell blades to children are also being launched.
Supt Ian Parnell, West Midlands Police’s lead on knife crime, said: “We fully understand the public concern around increases in knife crime, and that’s why we’re putting a lot of effort in to reducing it and taking those who think it’s acceptable to carry blades.
“One knife-related crime is one too many. The consequences of carrying knives can be catastrophic. We’ve seen people suffer very serious injuries, while offenders can expect to spend many years behind bars.
“If we look at the level of knife crime across the area we can see that although the statistics have increased recently - mirroring the national picture - it comes following a considerable decline leading up to the last few years. Nevertheless, there is still much work to do.
“The people we find most often in possession of a knife in public are young men aged between 15 and 19. A common excuse we hear is that it’s for their ‘protection’ - but that is a total fallacy and it’s shocking how many times young men are seriously hurt by the very knife they are carrying.
“If you carry or use a knife you are likely to be arrested and prosecuted and, if found guilty, likely to face a substantial prison sentence.”
STAFFORDSHIRE’S Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis says he wants a rethink of plans from NHS England to move where child victims of serious sexual abuse are examined.
Concerns were raised with the PCC by Stoke-on-Trent MPs and city councillors, because it would mean crucial medical examinations of children, who are believed to have suffered sexual abuse, would move from facilities in the city to Walsall, in the West Midlands.
Mr Ellis said: ‘NHS England have been working with officials from a variety of partner agencies on these proposals. I’ve not been aware of the detail and I am grateful colleagues from Stoke-on-Trent raised concerns with me directly.
‘The move from Cobridge to Walsall would mean police need to take some child victims on a long journey into the West Midlands rather than locally. Having looked at this in detail I also understand that victims from the south of Staffordshire have, for years, gone all the way up to Stoke-on-Trent, which is an even longer journey.
‘I accept that numbers are, thankfully, very small, but it seems to me other alternatives, which would potentially improve the things for both the north of Staffordshire and the south, have been dismissed during the process.
‘I have now instructed officials in my office to work with the police here to encourage NHS England to rethink the alternative options, which I understand need greater flexibility from paediatricians in Staffordshire.
‘There are options, which have been dismissed, during this work that could be a mix of existing proposals that would benefit the north and the south of the county. I think those are well worth revisiting.’
