Police tackle e-bike rider carrying a gun in his backpack

A man has been jailed for five years after police caught him carrying a gun in his backpack.   

Antonio Balu, 25, sped down Soho Road in Birmingham on the black bike before quick-thinking officers knocked him him off balance as he rode past.

Officers from West Midlands Police became suspicious after spotting Balu wearing a hoodie in hot 25C temperature on August 13.

Bodycam footage shows the dramatic moment PC Matthew More grab Balu's backpack as he sped past on an e-bike, forcing the yob to crash into the kerb.

Balu was searched and officers found a pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition in his bag pack.

In the video, a panicking Balu tells officers: 'I just found this bike and this bag, I just put it on now.'

An officer replies: 'No you haven't, we've been watching you for ages.'

When asked by police for his name, Balu says: 'You don't need to know my name mate.' 

When asked what was inside the bag he replies, 'nothing' before saying: 'I haven't done nothing wrong.' 

Balu admitted possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition and was jailed for five years at Birmingham Crown Court last Wednesday.

The arrest was conducted by the force's Guardian taskforce - which is dedicated to tackling serious youth violence.

Detective Inspector Jon Green, from West Midlands Police 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.'