Terrifying moment armed burglars attempt Birmingham home break-in

This is the moment a group of armed thugs attempted to break into a Birmingham home in the early hours, startling a couple inside. The incident took place in Arkley Road in Hall Green at around 1am on Wednesday (December 11).

A couple heard their front door rattling as masked raiders wearing balaclavas got to work outside. One of the group appears to be holding garden shears, and another, possibly with a machete. Their faces have been blurred for legal reasons.

The would-be burglar at the front door is heard muttering ‘anti-snap, anti-snap’ as he struggles to break the lock to the home, while three accomplices watch on. The gang also try and get in through the windows.

Read more: Police swarm city street after stolen BMW pursuit leads to garden chase

A man inside the home then goes to the window and taps on it – but one of the gang stares back, unmoved. Then, a 75-year-old woman is awoken and shouts about calling the police.

The men then run off from the scene. The incident is caught on Ring doorbell camera footage. Four of those involved are caught on camera with two more also said to be involved.

The woman’s son, who asked not to be named, told BirminghamLive: “My mum, who is 75, was in bed asleep. My step-dad, who is 68, was up watching the darts and had the telly up loud.

“He heard a rattling noise and then some talking as they tried to snap the lock. There were six of them coming down the drive. My stepdad told my mum to get up. He grabbed a knife from the kitchen and pulled open the curtains. One of them is looking directly at him.

“He taps the knife against the window. But they carried on trying. My mum said, ‘I’m calling the police’. One looked like he had a machete, another was holding something and a third had a big holdall. They then left down the drive.”

The 55-year-old who lives in Solihull said he was not sure what the group were after. No car was parked on the drive. He was not sure if it was mistaken identity. He said his mum had lived at the address for 45 years.

He continued: “The police were here rapidly. When the gang got to the corner, the police were here in about two minutes. My stepdad had run after them.

“The police have taken the Ring footage. They have said to my mum, if it happens again down the line they can put this evidence next to the other evidence.

“When you think about what could have been it makes you sick. The six were not in black. They had Canada Goose jackets like they were dressed to go out to a club. In their best designer stuff.”

He said his mum and stepdad were acting like they were OK, but he knows they are shaking up. He added: “I went and sat with my mum on Thursday.

"There was like a noise outside and she looked at the door and thought ‘here we go again’. It broke my heart. She’s a happy go lucky woman with such a young soul. This has made her introvert and anxious.”

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We are investigating after an attempted burglary in Arkley Road, Birmingham. Shortly before 1am on 11 December, a group of people were seen trying to break into a house before leaving the area when disturbed by the occupant of the house.

“Enquiries are now ongoing and anyone who saw more or has CCTV footage can contact us via 101 or Live Chat quoting crime number 20/996058/24.”