House and car destroyed in ‘targeted’ attack in Birmingham – but family don’t know why

A Birmingham family were woken up by a terrifying attack on their home by ten gunmen who smashed their windows and car. It happened in Lyons Grove, in Sparkhill, at around 1am yesterday, Saturday, May 18.

A black Mercedes pulled into the street and appeared to check the road before driving off. He returned with a blue Volkswagen Golf a few minutes later, masked men jumping out, one of the victims said.

The men were dressed in black and carrying “machetes, baseball bats and rocks”, smashed a Citroën in the driveway and all the front windows of the house. A woman sleeping downstairs was injured when a brick hit her arm and shards of glass left her bleeding.

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Resident Uzzy, who did not want to give his middle name, was at home with his mother, younger sisters, aged five and 15, and sister-in-law when the attack happened. He said he had been told by police it was a “targeted attack”, with the group believed to have been told to break into the house.

The 18-year-old told BirminghamLive: “A Mercedes drove up the road and then came back in a Golf. Ten men came out. Three attacked the car and seven the house. They had hoods on, face masks and gloves. They had machetes, baseball bats and rocks.

“All the front windows were broken. My sister-in-law was sleeping in a downstairs room and they threw bricks through the window and one hit her in the arm. Blood from the bottle.

“They also broke into my brother’s car, but they didn’t do anything to him. This is the first time this has happened on my road. Police said it was a targeted attack “done by a third party.

“I have no idea why they did it, I’m trying to become a policeman, my younger brother is at boarding school. My older brother didn’t do anything.”

The family had to cover the damaged windows with sheets. The father of the family was to return home later. Uzzy called the detective to find footage from neighbors of cars coming and going from the street, showing them arriving around 12.55pm and leaving shortly after 1am.

“I shouted to them from the window,” he said. “I screamed for him to hear the whole way. And they looked at me. As soon as they saw me, they ran and left in the cars parked on the road.

“Now everyone in the house is traumatized. It is a family home. I have two younger sisters. My brother lives next door. We are afraid. You never know it could happen again.”

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A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We are investigating criminal damage at an address in Lyons Grove, Birmingham. Shortly after 1am on May 18, a number of people arrived and smashed windows and damaged a car parked outside.

“Anyone who saw anything or has any footage of what happened can contact us on 101 or Live Chat quoting crime number 20/505193/24.” Alternatively, anyone with details can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.