Kingfisher B&amp;Q shopper threatened by masked carjackers

A customer packing his car outside a B&Q in Castle Vale, West Midlands, was threatened with a knife by masked criminals who forced him to hand over the keys to his car. The 25-year-old man complied before the two assailants fled the scene in his Volkswagen Golf. The incident mirrors are similar carjacking outside a Morrisons on Chester Road the previous week, where another Golf driver was attacked with a blade by two men and forced to hand over his keys. West Midlands Police said they were looking into connections between the two crimes.

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Masked carjackers threatened to knife a B&Q shopper in a horrifying car park ordeal.

The armed thugs struck as the victim loaded shopping into the boot of his VW Golf outside the DIY megastore in Castle Vale on Tuesday evening (February 5).

The 25-year-old man was approached by the balaclava-clad men who demanded the keys to his car in the Dunlop Way car park around 7.30pm.

He was then threatened with a blade, before handing the keys over to the crooks who made off with the white vehicle.

Police are investigating and raised the alarm with West Midlands Ambulance Service colleagues following the incident.

It is believed the man was with a woman at the time, but no one was badly injured. No arrests have been made and police are urging witnesses to come forward with information.

The incident comes less than a week after another VW Golf driver, also 25, was carjacked in the Morrisons on Chester Road last Thursday (Jan 30).

He was approached by two men in masks who pulled him to the floor and demanded his car keys. A metal object, believed to be a knife, was put to his throat before he handed over the keys to his black Volkswagen.

Speaking on the B&Q carjacking, West Midlands Police read: "We are investigating a carjacking on the B&Q car park on Dunlop Way in the Bromford area of Birmingham just after 7.30pm last night (Tuesday).

"A 25-year-old man was approached by two masked men as he placed items into the boot of his white Volkswagen Golf car.

"They demanded his keys and threatened him with a knife, before managing to make off with his car. Fortunately, the man was not injured.

"Enquiries continue and anyone with information can contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, or call 101 anytime.

Carjacking - what to do Learn to lock doors whenever in any of the aforementioned areas. Keep your windows rolled up when driving in the city, and sun roofs and boots closed. You should always leave at least a vehicle and a half space between you and the car directly in front, experts say, to give you enough space to quickly maneuver around the vehicle and make your way to safety. Motorists are reminded to use mirrors and surround cameras to remain self aware. Typically, carjackers will struggle to target those driving in the middle lane, as they are harder to box in, as they have more routes of escape. If someone does hit you from behind, and something doesn't seem right, stay in your vehicle with the windows rolled up and the doors locked. If you have children in the car, make sure the carjacker knows - as this could throw them off course, and potentially help you navigate a tricky situation. Remember: non-confrontation is ALWAYS the best response. What should I do to report it? Contact the police immediately. Describe the event in as much detail as possible - remember who, what, when, where and any details that can help. Try to recall the attacker's height, weight, and any distinguishable features - be it eye colour, facial hair, tattoos, scars, hair colour, build, complexion. Describe the attacker’s vehicle, too. Take note of license plate number, colour, make, model, and year, as well as any marks like scratches, dents, damage, or personalisation.

"Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. Please quote crime reference 20BE/31907F/20."

When asked whether the latest carjacking was being linked to the Morrisons incident, police said it will form part of ongoing investigations.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service added: "We were called by the police at 7.45pm to reports of a carjacking involving two patients.

"One ambulance attended. We assessed two patients who suffered minor injuries and were discharged on scene - one man and one woman."

BirminghamLive has contacted B&Q for a statement, but as it is a live police investigation, it could not comment.