Two 'car cannibals' who stripped vehicles of components, including cars belonging to Birmingham City FC fans, have been jailed after their social media bragging led to their downfall. Mohammed Khan and Mohammed Haydar, both 23, targeted almost 100 vehicles across the West Midlands between December 2022 and October 2024.
How the pair operated
The duo would target cars near St Andrew's at Knighthead Park – Birmingham City FC's home stadium – on matchdays. While supporters watched their team play, Khan and Haydar would remove valuable components such as headlights, bumpers, mirrors and bonnets within minutes, leaving the vehicles immobilised. They then boasted about their crimes on social media, posting videos and photos of themselves posing with stolen parts.
According to a witness statement presented at Birmingham Crown Court, victims often returned after the match to discover significant damage and theft, resulting in substantial financial loss, inconvenience, recovery costs, insurance implications, and considerable distress.
Impact on the community and football club
The victim personal statement, delivered on behalf of Birmingham City FC, highlighted an 'identified increase in reports of vehicle cannibalisation occurring in areas surrounding Birmingham City FC fixtures.' It emphasised that the crimes had the 'potential to negatively affect public confidence in attending football fixtures' and could 'damage the reputation of the local area as a safe and welcoming environment for supporters.'
'There is also a wider community impact, as vehicle crime contributes to fear of crime amongst residents and businesses operating in the vicinity of the stadium,' the statement added.
Police investigation and arrest
West Midlands Police (WMP) pursued Khan and Haydar for over three years before their arrests. Detectives examined hundreds of hours of CCTV and forensic evidence, which led them to identify the pair. Officers executed several warrants at their homes before detaining them, resulting in numerous charges.
Khan admitted all 98 offences, while Haydar admitted to 20 offences. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal from motor vehicles at Birmingham Crown Court.
Sentencing and police comment
On Friday, June 26, both men were sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. DC Choudhury, who headed the investigation, said: 'Both Haydar and Khan were meticulous in their offending. They carefully planned each theft that they carried out, where they would cause serious distress to their victims who were left with vehicles without parts. Thankfully, we have been able to put together an extensive investigation which found both Haydar and Khan carried out almost 100 cannibalism offences, and now they will be spending time behind bars.'
Ongoing policing measures
The victim personal statement also confirmed that WMP officers, including local neighbourhood policing units and match-day personnel, maintain a 'visible presence' around Blues' stadium on matchdays. 'This deployment is designed to deter offenders, identify suspicious activity, reassure supporters and local residents, and provide an immediate response capability should offences occur,' the statement continued.
'West Midlands Police continue to work closely with Birmingham City FC, local authorities, businesses, car park operators, and partner agencies to identify vulnerable locations, share intelligence, and implement crime prevention measures. Birmingham City would like to highlight the partnership work with their own match-day stewards in communicating to the supporters on matchdays which helped highlight the problems which led to positive action being taken by all parties involved.'
The ongoing policing operation demonstrates a commitment to protecting supporters, safeguarding the local community, and ensuring that individuals attending football matches can do so safely and with confidence.
