A Birmingham City supporter has issued a stark warning to fellow fans after returning from a match to find his family car had been stripped by thieves – the second time he has been targeted in two years.
‘I Feel Robbed Twice’ – A Fan’s Frustration
David Salliss, 58, discovered his Peugeot 208 had been decimated by so-called ‘car cannibals’ while it was parked on Trinity Terrace. The theft occurred during Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw against Southampton on Monday, 29 December 2025.
Shockingly, the incident came almost two years to the day after his wife’s Peugeot was similarly stripped outside the stadium on Boxing Day 2023. Mr Salliss said the double blow, following a match he felt was marred by a poor refereeing decision, left him feeling like he’d been “robbed twice.”
“It’s frustrating,” he told BirminghamLive. “It’s a bog-standard family saloon car. There were much nicer cars parked by us but they’re obviously targeting to order.”
Police Patrols Promised Hours Before Theft
The theft happened just hours after West Midlands Police announced officers would be patrolling streets around St Andrew’s in a crackdown on vehicle crime. An officer who attended the scene remarked to Mr Salliss that the thieves were “rapid,” comparing their speed to a “Formula 1 pit stop team.”
The criminals made off with the car’s bonnet and bumper and also smashed a side window. Mr Salliss noted that while there is often high crime on roads immediately next to the ground, Trinity Terrace is about a ten-minute walk away, suggesting perpetrators may be expanding their area.
“I would like to think police would be patrolling this area too,” he said, urging for increased patrols in surrounding streets. He stressed that Birmingham City FC was not to blame and had done what it could to help combat the issue.
A Call for Action and Increased Vigilance
Taking to social media platform X, the father urged fellow Blues fans to “be careful” when parking near the stadium. “This must stop and more needs to be done,” he added.
Inspector Dan Thomas had stated earlier on Monday that the force’s work to tackle vehicle crime was “working,” but emphasised the need for the public to report incidents immediately. Mr Salliss is now dealing with the fallout through his insurance, but highlighted the financial and personal cost, having faced the same ordeal two years prior.
The repeated targeting of one family underscores a persistent problem for match-going fans and residents in the area, raising questions about the effectiveness of crime prevention measures on match days.
