‘Gone in 40 seconds’ thieves break into home and steal car as family …

Callous thieves scoped out and broke into a Sutton Coldfield^[1] home stealing the keys to a brand new car before fleeing in seconds as a family was rudely awakened. The incident took place at a home on the New Oscott/Boldmere border, off Monmouth Drive, in the early hours of Thursday (July 20).

Thieves were caught on camera checking out the front of the property at around 2.30am and then are seen at the back of the house, checking doors and windows to try and get in. The burglars then break the lock on the back door and wait.

When no one comes the thieves enter the home, triggering the home’s alarm system. But the thieves carry on inside and head straight to pouches containing car keys, which had been left downstairs.

They then flee the home in a brand new £30,000 Cupra hot hatchback as the family watch upstairs. The car belonged to a daughter at the property and her boyfriend, who had sold their two vehicles to buy their dream car.

Mum, Bonnie Brown, was livid thieves had targeted her family home and ignored security measures like spotlights, a Ring doorbell, CCTV and an alarm system, to steal the car within 40 seconds of getting into the house. Bonnie said: “They arrive just after 2.30am. Three of them.

“A car came into our road and two get straight out. They beelined straight for our car. They came all around the house trying to go in windows and doors.

“They have then gone to the back and after it happened we noticed the gate, which was bolted, was open so maybe one gave the other a leg up.

“Then they settle on the back door and worked on the lock and snapped that. They then push the door open and run back and hid around the corner. They are probably waiting to see if the dog came or anyone comes.”

Bonnie continued: “Even though the lights came on they weren’t even phased. Once they know no one’s came they went in. The alarm went off.

“We always leave our keys downstairs basically for exactly this situation happening. I ran out onto the landing and could hear people downstairs.

“Apparently I started screaming ‘there’s somebody in the house’, but I don’t remember that. My husband’s shouting ‘they’re robbing the f****** car.

“We watched them pull off the drive. They were in the house for 40 seconds.”

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The thieves knew exactly what they were after Bonnie said. They took keys to her 22-year-old daughter’s car, and her husband’s, but only took the brand-new Cupra. Police came in six minutes and found the keys to the other car.

Bonnie said: “They came exactly for that car. The car was brand new. They [my daughter and her boyfriend] waited seven months for it. They bought it together and sold both their cars and got this really sporty one.

“They are both absolutely devastated. The knock-on effect. Insurance was really high anyway. And paying the excess. The car had 500 miles on the clock.

“We have got it all on CCTV but they have got their hoods up and their faces are covered. The police came straight away. We have given them the footage.

“They are investigating it. We don’t know any more after that.”

She added: “I want to make people aware. The only positive outcome of this and posting it is everybody around is us upping their security. We have spent all weekend upping ours.

“I think the thieves are just thoughtless. To them, it’s a few quid. It’s their job. The impact it’s had on a family like ours. It’s horrible. All of us are trying to come to terms with it. None of us are sleeping very well.

“My daughter got sent home from work. She’s had so much to focus on and then it hit her what had happened. It’s affected all if us. I have only got to hear a car pull into the drive and I’m up looking and checking the cameras.

“It makes you primed all the time. You feel your home is your safe place and it isn’t anymore.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police^[6] said: “We're investigating a car key burglary from an address in Sutton Coldfield during the early hours of 20 July. We're carrying out CCTV and other enquiries to identify those involved.”

Anyone with any information can contact police on Live Chat on the force's website^[7], or by calling 101. or alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

References

1. ^{^} Sutton Coldfield (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Thieves steal Range Rover from hotel car park as owner goes for swim (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Lorry driver who killed dad avoids jail over deadly A5 smash (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^{^} here. (data.reachplc.com)
5. ^{^} Phone stolen in city found in suburb after 'wheelie bin' find claim (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
6. ^{^} West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
7. ^{^} force's website (www.west-midlands.police.uk)