Two Men Plead Guilty to Nearly 100 Car Parts Theft & Vehicle Stripping Offences

Two men have admitted their roles in a vehicle theft conspiracy involving almost 100 offences across the West Midlands, after systematically stripping parked cars of parts over a period of nearly two years.

Mohammed Khan, 23, pleaded guilty to all 98 offences put to him, while co-defendant Mohammed Haydar, also 23, admitted 20 offences. Both men appeared before the court in connection with what prosecutors describe as a large-scale conspiracy to steal vehicle parts between December 2022 and October 2024.

The court heard the pair targeted parked cars across the West Midlands, removing parts including headlights, bumpers, mirrors and bonnets within minutes before leaving the vehicles immobilised. Owners would often return to find their cars partially dismantled and unable to be driven.

The offending included thefts in areas surrounding St Andrew’s at Knighthead Park, following concerns raised about car parts thefts on matchdays. Investigators said some of the incidents took place in streets used by supporters attending Birmingham City fixtures.

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Detective Constable Choudhury, who led the investigation, said: “Both Haydar and Khan were meticulous in their offending.

“They carefully planned each theft that they carried out, where they would cause serious distress to their victims who were left with vehicles without parts.

“Thankfully, we have been able to put together an extensive investigation which found both Haydar and Khan carried out almost 100 cannibalism offences, and now they will be spending time behind bars.”

The court was told the two men would approach parked vehicles and strip them rapidly, taking high-value exterior components before leaving the scene. The thefts spanned multiple locations across the region and formed part of what police described as an organised and sustained pattern of offending.

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As part of the investigation, officers from the Vehicle Crime Team executed multiple warrants at the defendants’ home addresses and recovered a large quantity of suspected stolen car parts. Forensic examinations and extensive CCTV analysis were relied upon to identify the pair.

Investigators said they reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage during the inquiry, which had been ongoing for more than three years. The evidence, together with forensic work, linked Khan and Haydar to the offences.

The court also heard that both defendants had filmed themselves during some of the thefts and later posted footage and images on social media, including photographs of stripped vehicles and stolen bumpers.

Khan entered guilty pleas to all 98 offences, while Haydar admitted 20 counts arising from the same investigation. The remaining matters will be dealt with by the sentencing court.

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Both men are due to be sentenced in June, when the court will consider the scale of the conspiracy, the number of offences admitted and the impact on affected vehicle owners.