Business Crime

We continue to work with our local businesses with the aim of reducing the offending and increasing the outcome rate when offenders do act. We have also approached the bank with new information leaflets to post near their ATMs following a period of scamming within the area.

**Update - 07/01/25**
Officers have arrested a prolific shop theft suspect for multiple thefts in the Shirley area. The suspect has been charged and remanded and will appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court for sentencing.

Solihull Town Centre with Touchwood, and the neighbouring towns like Shirley, are the heart of the community. We understand the impact that business crime has on our partners and their livelihoods and we pledge to work in concert with the Local Authority and Business Improvement District to tackle business crime more efficiently and promote the wellbeing of our towns.

Vehicle Crime

Our officers have been working tirelessly with the assistance of our colleagues in Traffic. We regularly monitor which area is targeted most by offenders. Recently we have seen an increase in theft of motor vehicle at Sears Retail Park so we have targeted our patrols to the vicinity. Along with patrols we request the assistance of specialist units, on 04/03/25 a pursuit ensued and a suspect was arrested following reports of them attempting to steal vehicles at Sears Retail Park.

**Update - 09/01/25**
Officers from Shirley Neighbourhood Team have carried out a traffic enforcement operation in the Sears Retail area.

Officers subsequently recovered a cloned vehicle during their efforts.

For more information on how to keep your vehicle safe, please click on the attached link:

https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft/

Our communities can be confident that they live in a relatively safe place. Unfortunately theft of motor vehicles and theft from motor vehicles can be a problem. Therefore we will look to combine proactive operations, using overt police tactics and technological initiatives, with bespoke crime prevention methods, to reduce the effect that vehicle crime has on people’s lives and livelihoods.

Burglary

If you wish to received information about crime updates in your area, please sign up to WMNOW. More information can be found at wmnow.co.uk

Recently, we have seen a number of Shirley addresses targeted. We carry out proactive patrols and work with our investigations teams to identify suspects with the aim to gain a positive outcome. Assistance from the community in relation to CCTV/Ring doorbell continues to be big help in our enquiries. We always work to attend a location following suspicious behaviour in order to build the best intelligence picture to assist any investigation.

**Update - 31/12/24**
Officers have arrested two people for an attempt burglary in the Shirley. They have have both been charged and will appear before Magistrates court.

It goes without saying that everyone should feel safe in their home, and it is important to underline that the great majority of the time, people’s homes are safe. However we recognise that burglary is a very traumatic and impactive experience so will prioritise not only the way we respond to reports of burglary, but the way we try to prevent it happening in the first place. We will combine intelligence led proactive patrols, targeting of offenders, crime prevention initiatives and wraparound victim care to focus on reducing the occurrence and impact of burglary.

Domestic Violence/Violence Against Women and Girls

Recently, the team has been involved in an engagement session at Old Edwardian's Rugby Club. This is part of larger work where we are beginning to approach sporting communities in our area. We have a number of aims through this, firstly to speak to a variety of members of the community of all ages offering safety advice, secondly to allow communities to openly discuss issues around safety of Women and Girls and the best way to create a safer environment.

**Update** 07/01/25 - Officers have arrested a suspect following a violent attempt robbery in the Shirley area against an elderly female. The suspect has been charged and remanded in prison for trial next month.

A huge thank you to Shirley and Solihull Businesses for your continued support.

In Solihull, as in the rest of West Midlands Police force area, we are dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic violence wherever it occurs and safeguarding victims from future abuse. We are also committed to raising awareness of VAWG and making our public places as safe as possible so that women and girls can enjoy everything Solihull has to offer with confidence.