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Police are battling a "serious organised crime problem" after recording a massive rise in carjackings and linked burglaries , according to the West Midlands' most senior officer.

Chief constable Dave Thompson said drivers faced a "lot of threat and risk" as gangs targeted modern cars which could be spirited abroad or broken up and used in "chop shops".

He spoke after a member of a policing warning warned of the "staggering" rise in such crimes in affluent areas like Solihull.

A string of terrifying carjackings - and house break-ins as raiders search for keys - have been recorded in the town and parts of south Birmingham in recent months.

Strategic Police and Crime Board member, Brendan Connor, said: “The rate of the increase in burglaries and robberies is staggering.

"We are looking at a 40 per cent in the period since March.

"One of the narratives coming out of the communities is that the burglaries and robberies are related.

“We have seen a very substantial increase in areas like Solihull.

"People are saying this is because they are the least-policed areas.

“During a road hijacking there is a very powerful threat of violence and there is a significant effect on the individuals.

“Public confidence in this area is going to go through the floor.”

Mr Thompson told the meeting: "There has been a big shift into newer modern vehicles. It has flipped around as a problem rapidly.

(Image: West Midlands Police)

"A lot of the vehicles have gone out of the country or ended up in a chop shop. I think it’s a really serious organised crime problem.

"There is a lot of threat and risk and it’s an absolute priority for the force."

And, responding to the concerns, Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe said: "Our response needs to be incredibly robust.

“The scarcity of officers in these areas is a myth.

"There is a correlation in areas where there are higher value vehicles.

“One or two offenders have been responsible for a whole spree of car key burglaries, robberies and carjackings.

”She added that some of the stolen cars had been shipped abroad, others had been used with false plates to commit other crimes and some had ended up in “chop shops.”

Mr Thompson said the force had used sensitive tactics to tackle the issue and not all of the policing was visible to the public.

He added: “There is a level of organisation that’s quite intimidating.

“People have worked very hard to earn the money to have nice things.”

Last month the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, warned organised criminals were targeting luxury cars parked at railway stations across the West Midlands.

He raised the issue with manufacturers, accusing them of failing to protect customers.

He said: “Very few of these cars have been recovered. I have called on leading manufacturers to bring in measures to protect their vehicles from theft.

“As well as tough police action, it is important manufacturers take responsibility to ensure their vehicles are much more difficult to steal.

“Manufacturers are failing in their duties to protect their customers.

"The manufacturers should face up to their responsibilities and ensure the expensive vehicles they sell are not as vulnerable to hacking and theft.”