28 April 2023 , 22:00
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A van driver has been pictured council CCTV brazenly dumping 12 large bags of onions on a quiet road in Birmingham.
The onions were left by the road in broad daylight by the Mercedes van driver and will have left the culprit with watery eyes as the vehicle has now been seized by Birmingham City Council.
The driver chucked the piles of brown onions, in large netted catering bags, on the side of Brickfield Road - the road is a cut-through in the industrial area in Hay Mills, reported BirminghamLive.
The council seized the van after they caught the brazen day-time dump on its CCTV. It was one of a number of vehicles involved in crime that was re-purposed for good in the form of West Midlands Fire Service training exercises.
A number of vehicles, which have no alternative operational or resale value, have been donated by the council to firefighters to help with training exercises.
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There were 12 bags of onions that were left on a quiet Birmingham road (Birmingham City Council)Two vans were delivered to Sutton Coldfield fire station yesterday, Thursday, April 28, where they were used by firefighters to perfect their life-saving road traffic collision rescue skills.
The onion dumping vehicle wasn't the only fly-tipping motor donated for life-saving use. Another of the vans used was seized by the council after being captured fly-tipping three times in Winson Green by council CCTV.
City environment boss Coun Majid Mahmood said: "I am delighted we have been able to support one of our emergency services in this way. Previously, vehicles that only have scrap value have been crushed - so it is really pleasing we have been able to find a practical use that will help keep our communities safe.
"Of course, this also sends out a very clear message to environmental criminals who think it is OK to blight our communities. We actively investigate dumped rubbish, will not hesitate to take court action and, if you are found guilty, you could lose your vehicle."
Over the last five years the council has seized 64 vehicles through its efforts to bring fly-tippers to justice, and said officers would not hesitate to secure more as a result of future investigations.
The van that fly-tipped the onions was snapped by CCTV at 7.55am on January 21, 2022, the council confirmed.