A 14-year-old boy was threatened with a knife and had his bicycle stolen by a masked gang of four on motorbikes in a Sutton Coldfield park. The incident took place at around 7pm on Friday, July 17, in Streetly Playing Fields, adjacent to the Streetly Community Centre.
Robbery Details
The teenager was with a friend when the group approached and announced their intention to steal the bikes. When the victim attempted to retrieve his bike, one of the offenders lifted his top to reveal a knife handle, which was interpreted as a threat to stab him. The boy handed over the bike to avoid harm.
This was the second time the boy has had a bicycle stolen within about a year, according to his mother. She told BirminghamLive: “My son, who is 14, and his friend were on the field by Streetly Community Centre. Four on motorbikes came up to them. One said: ‘We’re here to steal the bikes.’ They had deliberately targeted them.”
Bike Recovery and Police Response
The stolen bike was later found dumped in Sutton Park, opposite the former Parson and Clerk pub (now a Toby Carvery on Chester Road North). The mother explained that the gang likely dumped the bike to check for trackers before retrieving it. A local resident spotted the bike after she posted a photo on Facebook, and it was recovered 200 yards from where police had previously searched.
West Midlands Police confirmed they are investigating. A force spokesman said: “We received a report of a bicycle being stolen in Streetly Fields on 17 July. A teenage boy was riding home when his bike was stolen by a group, who threatened to stab him if he didn't hand it over. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with more information can call 101 quoting crime number 20/328726/26.”
Series of Bike Thefts in the Area
The robbery is one of several similar incidents in Sutton Coldfield. In a separate attack on May 30, a man in his 50s was slashed during a seven-on-one e-bike robbery in Sutton Park. On June 22, around 6:30pm, a man in his 60s was kicked off his £9,000 cycle by three masked robbers, one armed with a Rambo knife, who were riding powered Sur-Ron bikes. The victim was told by police that “this is a problem in Sutton Park.”
More recently, on July 19, two teenagers were followed by masked youths near Bracebridge Pool in Sutton Park, who shouted at them to “get back here” and “get over here.” Despite increased patrols by West Midlands Police in the park, the perpetrators remain at large.
The mother of the 14-year-old victim expressed her frustration: “It’s just a shame children can’t live the way they should. You want kids off their Xboxes. It’s just really sad. You can get trackers but it doesn’t stop the fear.”
