A popular market trader has been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after his van was stolen from a town centre car park while he worked at a festive event.
Second Theft in a Week Hits Traders
Hamza Tamran, known locally as The Curry Man, was trading at Sutton Coldfield's Victorian Christmas Market on the Parade on Friday, 19 December. He had parked his white Ford Transit Custom van in the Birmingham City Council-run Mill Street car park at 9am that morning. Upon returning in the evening, he discovered the vehicle was gone.
"I made my way to the car park and was shocked to see my van wasn't there. It was unexpected," Hamza told reporters. He is a regular at the town's monthly farmers' markets and food festivals and stated he had always used that parking location without issue.
This incident marked the second time in a week that a market trader had been targeted. Just days earlier, on Friday, 12 December, another trader, Turan Atas, had his van broken into at the South Parade public car park. Stock worth around £2,000 was stolen, and the vehicle's window was smashed.
Significant Losses and Lack of Security
The stolen van was valued at approximately £8,500. Inside, Hamza had left a gazebo, banners, his mobile phone, and around £400 in cash, bringing the total loss to an estimated £10,000. The theft forced him to cancel a three-day booking at a market in Buxton and borrow a friend's car to fulfil his weekend commitments in Sutton Coldfield.
A critical issue raised by both traders is the apparent lack of CCTV surveillance. Hamza expressed his surprise, stating, "There are no cameras there – that was surprising. Not a single camera covering the car park."
Michelle Baker, manager at Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID (Business Improvement District), strongly echoed these concerns. "These two serious incidents... clearly highlight the lack of sufficient CCTV coverage in the town centre," she said. "CCTV cameras and clear signage act as an important deterrent to crime and are vital in supporting police investigations. This situation needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency."
Police Response and Ongoing Impact
West Midlands Police confirmed they were investigating the theft of the van from Mill Street between 9am and 5.45pm on 19 December. However, Hamza reported that officers told him it was "most unlikely we will be able to recover it."
The incident has caused significant disruption to Hamza's business. After a break over Christmas, he is due to attend markets across the region, including in Birmingham, Lichfield, Stratford, and Wolverhampton. The theft has sparked a wider conversation about security provisions in council-managed car parks and the support for local small businesses during the busy festive period.
