Schoolboy arrested over knife discovery after Birmingham police 'spot suspicious group'

A 14-year-old boy was arrested in George Street West in Ladywood after trying to 'run away from police'

A young boy has been arrested in a Birmingham street after officers discovered a knife. The incident took place in George Street West in Ladywood, near the New Testament Church of God – The Rock church, on Monday (September 30).

Officers claim they spotted a ‘suspicious’ group at around 6pm and a 14-year-old tried to leave the scene but was stopped and ‘swiftly detained’ by Project Guardian officers, responsible for tackling knife crime.

Officers found a blade and the teen was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife. The boy was searched and then further arrested for possession of Class A drugs with intention to supply.

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A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We have arrested a 14-year-old boy for possession of a knife following patrols from our Project Guardian Taskforce. Our Guardian Taskforce officers were patrolling Ladywood, Birmingham, on Monday (September 30), and after spotting a suspicious group, the 14-year-old boy tried making off but was swiftly detained.

“He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife, and following subsequent searches, he was further arrested for possession of Class A drugs with intention to supply. The boy remains in custody for questioning.

“Over the past five years, Project Guardian has expanded to include teams specifically based to proactively deal with knife-related crime, from bases in Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.

“In addition to the specialist teams, neighbourhood teams carry out specific patrols regularly based around data that indicates hotspots for knife crime and specific times that people are likely to be in the area in possession of a knife.”