West Midlands Police have charged a teenager with criminal damage after several cars which were parked in a hospital car park had their tyres slashed.
One of the victims was a COVID nurse who had just finished a gruelling 12-hour shift, looking after critically ill patients.
Response Team officers responded to a call from security staff at QE Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning (1 Nov).
The reports were that two males were trying car door handles in the hospital car park.
Officer arrived on the scene only minutes later and found at least four vehicles whose tyres had been punctured.
A 16-year-old boy from Weoley Castle was arrested and has now been charged with criminal damage, vehicle interference and going equipped to steal.
He has been bailed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 16 November.
The boy has been given bail conditions which mean that he must live and sleep at a specific address.
He has also be subjected to an overnight curfew.
Birmingham Police Chief Inspector Sarah Tambling described the damage of key workers’ vehicles as “disgusting”.
She added:
“It’s truly shocking that vehicles belonging to NHS staff have been targeted.
“It appears offenders were trying door handles, and if they were unable to gain access were slashing tyres as an act of spite.
“Some of these victims are putting their lives on the line to save others…they deserve the respect and support of everyone.
“And it’s beyond belief someone would target their property while they are at work in a hospital.
“We won’t tolerate offences against key workers and offenders can expect to be charged and put before the courts.”
Officers are still trying to establish the identity of a second male who was involved in the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or message them on Live Chat via the website, quoting incident 719 of 1st November.
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I thank god I am not a Police officer having to deal with these scum on a daily basis must be very stressful.
Coupled with the knowledge that the courts will likely be too lenient with these offenders and trying to do a job with one hand tied behind your back. Bugger that !
I’m with you mate all the police seem to get is derogatory remarks from people who would call them immediately if they needed help.
And when he breaches his bail? What will happen? Nothing. He will be scolded, paraded down the station and released.
What should happen is that he should be remanded until his trial. I don not care that he is 16. The age of criminal responsibility is 10. He knows that stealing and sticking knives in tyres is wrong. He will have done hundreds of pounds worth of damage.
What should happen is that he should be put on some sort of hard labour scheme and paid the appropriate rate for the job. After tax, he will then be handed is pay packet in cash and made to count it in front of witnesses. He will then hand the whole lot over to the victims. This will be repeated every week until every last penny he owes is paid off.
So what will he owe? The tyres, obviously, but any recovery and taxi costs, his accommodation in a secure unit and court costs. This will run to a few thousand pounds and will see him working flat out for several months paying it off. He will not be quite so keen to go around breaking things after that.