Words and lead image supplied by West Midlands Police
(Ed’s note: This article was first written by West Midlands Polcie and submitted for publishing in the Oct/Nov newspaper on 11.10.24 – there have continued to be arrests made by Operation Skybridge.)
#OpSkybridge the CID crime team have been in the Erdington area for the last few weeks and [at the time of writing] have made ten arrests.
The team made up of plain clothed and uniformed officers have been a highly visible presence in and around Erdington following concerns raised by the local community.
Since 30 September they’ve made ten arrests [at the time of writing] for offences like possession of an offensive weapon, burglary, driving offences and possession of drugs with intent to supply.
This has also resulted in three people being charged, two people have been remanded in custody until their next court date.
The team work closely with the local neighbourhood team in each area to understand the priorities and concerns of local people. They provide a highly visible presence to deter criminal activity, make arrests and offer reassurance to the local community.
Inspector Shameem Ahmed, from Erdington’s Neighbourhood Team said: “It’s been great to have the additional support to deal with issues the community tells us needs looking at.
“But I want to reassure people that this is not the end of our work in the area, the local policing teams are still there and will continue to disrupt and deal with crime that affects our communities.”
For more from West Midlands Police, and advice on how to report a crime, visit www.westmidlands.police.uk