Two shipping containers filled with stolen vehicle parts uncovered in Birmingham

Two shipping containers filled with stolen vehicle parts have been uncovered in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police carried out a warrant at a suspected chop shop in South Yardley, and recovered parts from 14 stolen cars and bikes.

Parts of a stolen Toyota, Ford Focus, Nissan Juke, VW Golf and a motorbike were recovered, as well as parts from high value vehicles such as a Nissan GTR and Mercedes E63s. 

After forensically analysing the parts, police have traced 10 of the 14 vehicles back to their original owners, who have been updated. 

Officers have been working with Warwickshire and Staffordshire Police as investigations revealed some of the cars were stolen from surrounding force areas.

Police are now working hard to trace those involved in the containers, which were found on April 14.

Sgt James Harbour, Investigation Supervisor, said: “Officers were able to carry out the warrant thanks to intelligence they received.

"With the support of the public we can continue to tackle car crime and shut down chop shops. 

“We always act on information. If something doesn’t feel right, always report it to us because your information does make a difference.”

Tips from West Midlands Police for vehicle owners:•    Park in a well-lit area, ideally covered by CCTV and registered with a Park Mark scheme.•    Make sure your car alarm is activated when you leave the vehicle. Lock it, Check it. •    Use any security devices available, such as locking wheel nuts, a Disklok.•    Speak to your local dealership about settings and security upgrades available.