Another Robbery at BHX

[Cole]

Just seen on Facebook reports of another camera robbery on Sheldon county park

I cant share the post due to the groups settings.

Posted in the Birmingham Airport Spotters & Aviation Enthusiasts group. [url]https://www.facebook.com/groups/506023966452870/?ref=group_header
[/url]

Copy of the post:
"hi Everyone, I want to write you whats happened to me yesterday at Birmingham airport at airport viewing area next to runway 15. 3 guys on a bike, their head was covered by scarf stole my camera. They hit me kicked me, put me to the floor. They were hitting me until I gave them my camera. I am on bloodthinner, and my face was covered with blood when the ambulance arrived. So be careful if any of you see these 3 guys on a bike call the police immediately."

Sadly, this seems to be happening more and more often here..

[boff180]

I am not surprised.

As a local to this park, not a week goes by without some form of robbery occurring by a gang on bikes - either push or scooter... usually involving a knife so this guy was lucky.

I cannot stress enough that on a weekday during the day and/or strange times of the day this park is a well know no-go zone to local residents - I would never take my camera anywhere near this park. Due to its location there are multiple escape routes and its very hard for the police to access it.

Anyone visiting here to spot is putting their health and safety at risk.

It sadly shouldn't be this way but it is.

[Draken]

Oh my... I'll be @ BHX in 3 weeks for few hours - wanted to go for some spotting...
Is there any safe spot around?

[spellow3010]

I am not surprised.

As a local to this park, not a week goes by without some form of robbery occurring by a gang on bikes - either push or scooter... usually involving a knife so this guy was lucky.

I cannot stress enough that on a weekday during the day and/or strange times of the day this park is a well know no-go zone to local residents - I would never take my camera anywhere near this park. Due to its location there are multiple escape routes and its very hard for the police to access it.

Anyone visiting here to spot is putting their health and safety at risk.

It sadly shouldn't be this way but it is.

It's really sad Boff... Is there any decent photography possible off the footbridge at Marston Green railway station instead if they are landing at that end?

[boff180]

You can get some decent shots from either footbridge however best bet is top deck of the NCP car park southside of the airfield.

[Manxman]

You can get some decent shots from either footbridge however best bet is top deck of the NCP car park southside of the airfield.

Which sadly is no longer the top deck but the deck below...the top deck has been closed off for about a year now.

[blueskytoday]

As a local to this park, not a week goes by without some form of robbery occurring by a gang on bikes - either push or scooter... usually involving a knife so this guy was lucky.

I live 4 or 5 miles from bhx so don't have detailed knowledge of the immediate area like you, but I I've checked the police crime map for Sheldon upto the end of 2019 and nothing seems to show up for the park itself. Are these crimes are not being reported, or are the police 'airbrushing' Sheldon Park out of the statistics, or have I just missed something?

[boff180]

Don't think they're being reported tbh or the crimes are being tagged to the residents post code when they report it once they're back home. Part of the park is inside Marston Green with the bridge that particularly is the hot spot for trouble being the boundary. I found one of the bike thefts attached to Farlow Croft which is an adjacent street.

Best place to find reports of them is Marston Green facebook.etc, there was one a few weeks back with multiple witnesses that was discussed in great detail.

[blueskytoday]

Don't think they're being reported tbh or the crimes are being tagged to the residents post code when they report it once they're back home. Part of the park is inside Marston Green with the bridge that particularly is the hot spot for trouble being the boundary. I found one of the bike thefts attached to Farlow Croft which is an adjacent street.

Best place to find reports of them is Marston Green facebook.etc, there was one a few weeks back with multiple witnesses that was discussed in great detail.

I see what you mean - mainly bike thefts tho

[Domvickery]

As a local to this park, not a week goes by without some form of robbery occurring by a gang on bikes - either push or scooter... usually involving a knife so this guy was lucky.

I live 4 or 5 miles from bhx so don't have detailed knowledge of the immediate area like you, but I I've checked the police crime map for Sheldon upto the end of 2019 and nothing seems to show up for the park itself. Are these crimes are not being reported, or are the police 'airbrushing' Sheldon Park out of the statistics, or have I just missed something?

I live close to the park, I’d say the ‘crimes’ arent happening

As for the park being a no go, thats just laughable

[nighthawk999]

You can get some decent shots from either footbridge however best bet is top deck of the NCP car park southside of the airfield.

Which sadly is no longer the top deck but the deck below...the top deck has been closed off for about a year now.

Do you mean the one that overlooks the Art Deco old control tower?If so,that's a shame,I went in September 2018 and got some good shots from up there with a 100-400L that I had on hire for another occasion.

An unexpected visit as it turned out,I'd gone to the airport trail at East Mids and met a chap who very kindly took me to BHX for a few hours.

[blueskytoday]

As a local to this park, not a week goes by without some form of robbery occurring by a gang on bikes

I live close to the park, I’d say the ‘crimes’ arent happening

I guess as the park/Hatchford Brook have a total boundary with the suburbs of about 5 miles some variation in how it's perceived is to be expected.

[Light Chop]

Sheldon Country Park, as well as the surrounding areas (Sheldon, Chelmsley Wood etc) are certainly best off avoided. As mentioned above, the NCP car park on the Elmdon side offers a much better and safer solution.

Don't forget to pay the parking though; they're monitoring the car park a lot more frequently these days.

[Georgeconna]

"3 guys on a bike" Never seen a bike that big so should be easy to locate?

[ikarus]

Visited that elevated area of the NCP car park for the first time last year , not bad , bit rough facility wise , and an unfortunate whiff in some areas of the car park "of what I suspect was weed " - may be some other activities going on at nocturnal times perhaps. Or it could just have been un emptied bins. Anyway , views of runway available , executive parking ramp somewhat becoming obscured by tall trees in the foreground.....make sure you pay the parking fee. The local photographers in the NCP at Elmdon appeared to sense if you aren't a local ..... not very chatty , unless I picked a bad day for banter! Had planned on going to Sheldon originally on the day but they were holding an Airport Fun Day and I couldn't get in , seemed like organised chaos, so went to the Elmdon multi storey NCP instead. To be honest would go again