03 December 2023 , 10:16
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The is the chilling moment a daughter sent a message to her family's WhatsApp group as burglars locked her in her bedroom during a raid on the family 's home.
CCTV footage shows thieves breaking into the family home and locking the daughter in her room while they ransacked the house. The criminals targeted the property in Lozells, West Birmingham, just an hour after the family had left their home on Wednesday November 30 at around 9.25pm. They stole an Audi A8 along with the owner's trainers, watches and cash.
When the burglars realised someone was still in the house, they locked the driver's 22-year-old sister in a bedroom. In a panic, she texted her family's WhatsApp group saying: "There's burglars in the house." Her family rushed back home to stop the burglary but arrived just in time to see their car being driven away.
Now, the driver's sister and mum say they are too scared "to stay home alone". Footage shared by the family shows the masked criminals running from a grey BMW parked opposite their home.
The moment the gang broke in was caught on CCTV (No credit)The criminals break through the front door in seconds before searching the house. But minutes later, they run out - with one jumping into the stolen Audi while the other escapes in the getaway vehicle - with the family seen arriving home moments later, just as the offender pulls off.
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The 29-year-old car owner, who did not wish to be named, recalled: "It looks like they used a tool through the front door surprisingly, you don't expect it to happen through the front door. They came straight through."
"They went in, the alarm was on downstairs, they cut the wire, smashed the alarm, probably searched around the house. My sister was sleeping upstairs and she thought it was me coming home, however, when they went into her room, and realised there's somebody here, they closed the door and locked her in because her key was on the outside."
"She eventually she got to terms with what's going on and she text in the family group saying that 'there's burglars in the house'. They went into my room, stole a bit of cash that was lying around, stole my watches and my trainers, try tried to pull out the DVR, which they're damaged. They got the car key and stole the car.
"Straight away we came[home], we probably missed them by five seconds, but there was contact, when my uncle and cousins pulled up into the drive, the guy was reversing so it was just a matter of seconds. If we had come earlier, we probably would have caught him in the car. But the speed he was driving out, it was like he was either going to run them over, or damage their car as well."
"Now, my mum and my sister feel very scared, they don't want to stay home alone, which you can understand. My sister doesn't want to go to work, she's taken days off."
He suspects the same car has been involved in other break-ins around Birmingham, including Handsworth Wood, over the past week. He added: "Honestly, the way this car keeps coming around, my burglary happened on Wednesday, there was a burglary on Monday, not far from our home."
"There was another burglary using the same BMW X4 on the same plates. It's just surprising that these criminals haven't been caught - especially when they're coming through the front door. I think three to five burglaries have occurred. We live in a really, really safe road. It's unheard of."
West Midlands Police confirmed an investigation into the burglary, stating the stolen Audi A8 had since been found - and will be "undergoing forensic examination to try and help us identify who took it."
The force is investigating links to four other car key burglaries in Birmingham. A spokesman said: "It appears the burglar was working alongside an accomplice in a grey BMW which we've been able to establish was on false plates. We're continuing our enquiries to trace the real identity of this car and who the driver was."
"This would have been extremely frightening for the person who was in the address at the time and we are determined to identify those involved. We're investigating whether this is linked to four other recent car key burglaries in the city. Vehicle crime is a top priority for the force and we remain committed to tackling this crime."
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