Police crack down on pickpockets in Birmingham city centre

Police crack down on pickpockets in Birmingham city centre

A man, Abderahmen Berouaken, 24, was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison after he was caught on CCTV stealing people’s phones.

PC Mat Evans, from the Op Willowvale team, said pickpockets were “the worst type in my opinion”. Operation Willowvale, which was launched last year by West Midlands Police, hopes to stop major international criminal gangs operating in the UK.

Pickpocketing has fallen by 38% in Birmingham so far in 2023/24 and by 31% across the West Midlands police area as a whole.

“(Pickpockets) target the elderly, the disabled, especially those in wheelchairs, and young mothers with babies and strollers,” Officer Evans said.

He said police first noticed an increase in pickpocketing in Birmingham city centre about 12 to 14 years ago, with the crime being driven by international gangs.

Berouaken, who has no fixed address, has confessed to eight thefts and has been coming to the city occasionally to steal since last year, police said.

He was convicted after pleading guilty at Birmingham Crown Court.

Operation Willowvale is a dedicated team covering Birmingham, working with city centre partners and retail security teams to help them spot tell-tale signs of professional pickpockets at work.

Advice is to pay close attention to who is around you, keep valuables out of sight, secure your bag properly, never leave your bag unattended and do not carry your wallet or phone in your back pocket.