Moment e-biker carrying loaded gun tackled to ground by police in Birmingham

This is the moment a policeman tackled an e-bike rider as he raced away officers in Birmingham. A loaded gun was then found in his backpack.

Neighbourhood officers had spotted the masked rider acting suspiciously on the Soho Road and approached him. He rode away, but officers from the police's Guardian taskforce – which is dedicated to tackling serious youth violence – were alerted.

PC Matthew More tackled the rider, who fell to the ground and was detained. New video released today shows the moment the cop found the gun, loaded with three rounds of ammunition in a backpack. Antonio Balu was arrested at the scene.

READ MORE: Young Birmingham dad's 'incredible story' about why he had 'killing machine' in backpack

The 25-year-old gave an elaborate account about obtaining the backpack and the bike from a 'crackhead' in a nearby park who supposedly offered them in exchange for drugs. Balu claimed he ran off after a confrontation ensued. But the story was exposed as a lie.

Balu went on to plead guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition after his arrest, which happened on August 13. Police said Balu, of Bryant Street, Birmingham, was jailed for five years at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Jon Green, from the police's Major Crime Unit, said: “This is excellent work by the Guardian Taskforce whose actions have taken a deadly weapon off the streets. Balu claimed he’d just found the bike and the bag, but we pieced together his movements using CCTV to show that he’d left his house on the bike and carrying the bag earlier in the day.

“What started as a routine stop of someone acting suspiciously has resulted in a loaded firearm being taken off the street and the carrier being jailed for five years.” The conviction is part of Operation Target, which is the police's ongoing mission to target serious and organised crime across the West Midlands.

They've got officers working 24/7 to disrupt and arrest those involved in guns, drugs, money laundering and exploitation. Find out more about their work, and how you can help tap her Operation Target | West Midlands Police