Westmidlands

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 westmidlands police informants covert intelligence chis funding crime transparency security

West Midlands Police have disclosed spending more than £1.25 million on payments to informants over a five-year period from 2020 to 2025. These payments were made to Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS), key players in … Read More

Monday, April 6, 2026 birminghamlive photography westmidlands tiktok photojournalism bodycam news documentary journalism media

Nick Wilkinson, a seasoned BirminghamLive photographer, offers a unique glimpse into his day-to-day life through captivating videos that follow him on every assignment. Covering the vast expanse of the West Midlands, Nick’s … Read More

Monday, April 6, 2026 westmidlands police chiefinspector altercation birmingham bus harassment communitysafety intervention publictransport sport

During her daily commute to work, Chief Inspector Amanda Thompson of West Midlands Police took immediate action when she witnessed a man swearing and verbally harassing women on a Birmingham bus. Refusing to ignore the … Read More

Sunday, April 5, 2026 housing westmidlands youngpeople propertyladder spatialstrategy development councillors affordability infrastructure youth

Councillors and business leaders in the West Midlands have voiced serious concerns about the persistent housing difficulties facing young people in the region. As many struggle to buy or rent their own properties, city … Read More

Sunday, April 5, 2026 forensics truecrime crime bbc police investigation documentary westmidlands serial justice

The much-acclaimed BBC true crime documentary, Forensics: The Real CSI, has returned with its sixth thrilling series. While no new episode will air tonight, the series continues to captivate audiences with its unique focus on … Read More

Sunday, April 5, 2026 pub westmidlands history heritage thebellinn historic architecture culture england landmark

Step inside The Bell Inn, a remarkable pub in the West Midlands that predates the United States by 186 years. BlackCountryLive was granted exclusive access to this historic establishment, offering a unique look at a venue … Read More

Sunday, April 5, 2026 pub history willenhall bellinn westmidlands heritage veday tradition landmark rare

Nestled in the heart of Willenhall, The Bell Inn stands as a remarkable testament to history, having served the community for over 430 years. This historic pub is not your typical watering hole—it opens its doors to the … Read More

Saturday, April 4, 2026 motorways speedlimits fines smartmotorways westmidlands m6 traffic cameras congestion safety

Drivers on West Midlands motorways can be fined even when driving below the usual 70mph speed limit. Although 70mph is the national motorway limit, smart motorways frequently impose temporary lower speed limits that motorists … Read More

Friday, April 3, 2026 westmidlands housing development brownfield remediation construction smes infrastructure affordablehousing regeneration

The West Midlands faces significant obstacles in building the homes urgently needed by its growing population. Key challenges include the costly cleanup of contaminated land and soaring construction expenses, which threaten … Read More

Friday, April 3, 2026 westmidlands police bussafety seesay81018 publictransport passengersafety birmingham anticrime communitysafety campaign sport

Paula Shortland, an education officer with West Midlands Police, is advocating for a vital safety feature to be installed on every bus throughout the region. She has expressed strong support for BirminghamLive’s … Read More

Thursday, April 2, 2026 birmingham airport police disruption passengers alcohol arrests flights westmidlands travel

Over the past decade, disruptive passengers at Birmingham Airport have prompted West Midlands Police to board hundreds of flights. Since early 2016, officers have intervened in 255 incidents involving unruly travellers, … Read More

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 homelessness housing westmidlands councils housingassociations eviction prevention collaboration arrears intervention

Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee have issued urgent calls for closer cooperation between housing associations and local councils to prevent homelessness across the … Read More

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 arrest westmidlands murder plot police investigation child crime youth suspect

An 11-year-old boy was recently arrested in the West Midlands in connection with an alleged murder plot. This arrest marks one of the youngest detentions by police in the area over the last 12 months, involving a crime of a … Read More

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 theft motorbike castlebromwich crime bikers yamaha security westmidlands police breaking

A daring daylight theft unfolded on Saturday, March 28, when a gang of masked thieves broke into a Midland residence on Water Orton Road, Castle Bromwich. Arriving on two mopeds with two accomplices on foot, the group forced … Read More

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 burglary bakery westmidlands staffordshire crime cctv theft police investigation brewood

Staffordshire Police have issued CCTV images of a man wanted in connection with a burglary at a bakery in the West Midlands. The break-in occurred at a business on Stafford Street in Brewood, South Staffordshire, during the … Read More

Monday, March 30, 2026 westmidlands murderplot youthcrime policearrest childsuspect criminalresponsibility westmidlandspolice juvenilecrime seriouscrime ukcrime

An 11-year-old school pupil has been arrested by West Midlands Police following suspicions of plotting a murder in the West Midlands, BirminghamLive reports. The young suspect was apprehended during a police sting operation … Read More

Sunday, March 29, 2026 forensics truecrime westmidlands police investigation documentary crime lawenforcement bbc series

The critically acclaimed true crime documentary series, Forensics: The Real CSI, widely praised as one of the best programmes on television, returns with a chilling new episode tonight. Now into its sixth series on BBC Two, … Read More

Sunday, March 29, 2026 employment planning development thrive improperties suttoncoldfield greenbelt appeal infrastructure westmidlands

IM Properties, a prominent developer of employment parks in the West Midlands, has formally appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to compel two councils to decide on its ambitious Thrive employment park development. The £363 … Read More

Sunday, March 29, 2026 childpoverty birmingham multibank westmidlands charity amazon donations community volunteers povertyrelief

A groundbreaking initiative known as the West Midlands Multibank has marked its first year of tackling child poverty in Birmingham, delivering critical support to thousands of struggling families. This innovative ‘multibank’ … Read More

Saturday, March 28, 2026 dudley highstreet regeneration retail westmidlands decline shopping revitalization crime infrastructure

Traders on Dudley’s historic High Street are calling for urgent action to revive the area as footfall continues to decline and anti-social behaviour rises. In the first article of a series examining High Streets across the … Read More

Saturday, March 28, 2026 peakyblinders sedgley actor film theimmortalman westmidlands netflix cillianmurphy stephengraham blackcountry

Spencer Elcock, a 23-year-old actor from Sedgley in the Black Country, has fulfilled a lifelong dream by featuring as a member of the Peaky Blinders gang in the newly released film, The Immortal Man. The movie premiered in … Read More

Saturday, March 28, 2026 police intoxication misconduct westmidlands childabuse anxiety coping disciplinary publicprotection breathalyzer

A West Midlands Police officer turned to alcohol while handling distressing child sex abuse cases, a misconduct hearing revealed. Struggling with anxiety linked to his work in these sensitive investigations, the officer used … Read More

Friday, March 27, 2026 wolverhampton shoplifting theft retail crime westmidlands security community policing prevention

Wolverhampton has earned a troubling reputation as the shoplifting capital of the West Midlands, recording more than 104 offences per 10,000 people. This high rate of retail theft has raised concerns among local businesses, … Read More

Friday, March 27, 2026 wolverhampton shoplifting retailcrime westmidlands police security community theft crimeprevention shops

Wolverhampton has earned the unfortunate title of ‘shoplifting capital’ of the West Midlands, a fact confirmed by recent research from LEI Register using Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. The city recorded 104.73 … Read More