Women bring new twist to motorised crime

TWO women posing as detectives stole pounds 500 from a motorist after they told him to pull over, in the latest derivative of motorised crime, writes Martin Whitfield.

In the incident, early yesterday morning in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, the women drove up behind the 41-year-old man as he was driving home after working a late shift, and flashed their headlights at him.

Believing it to be the police, he pulled over and got out of his car. The women told him they were detectives from Solihull police station and asked him to empty his pockets as part of a search for drugs. He handed over his wage packet containing pounds 500.

The man was then asked to move his car forward and the women took the opportunity to run back to their car and drive away. The man gave chase, but could not catch them.

A spokesman from West Midlands Police said: 'This man was completely taken in and really believed these were plain clothes policewomen.'

In another attack, last Friday afternoon, a 36-year-old woman from Birmingham was robbed in the Alum Rock area of the city when her car was overtaken by a stolen Vauxhall Cavalier, with three men inside it.

The stolen car suddenly swerved in front of her, forcing her to stop.

The woman refused to unlock her doors but the three robbers smashed the car window and held a knife to her throat, demanding she give them her handbag containing pounds 55 in cash and a child benefit book.

Police said the attack took place in daylight and the robbers ignored the attentions of onlookers.