Police Hunt Two Men After Student Held Hostage During Flat Burglary

Police are searching for two men who held a 25-year-old student hostage for nine hours while his house was robbed.

The incident is said to have taken place in February when the student, who has not been named, met up with a woman he had been chatting to online.

When they met, the woman said she need to collect something from a friend at a flat in the Abacus building on Bradford Street, in Birmingham.

However, once they were inside the flat, the door was locked and the student was prevented from leaving. His keys, mobile phone and wallet were taken.

While the man was held police said that the woman he'd met went to his flat and stole his laptop, games console, watches, designer clothing and passports.

After being held for almost nine hours, the man was released at about 7am on 26 February, and he immediately contacted police.

DC Mark Timmins, from the Central Birmingham Investigation Team, said: "This is an alarming crime, where a young man was lured to a flat and held against his will for several hours while people robbed him and took his personal possessions.

"Thankfully the swift report meant that officers could visit the address and recover some property, and make arrests, a short time later."

Police later charged a man and a woman with false imprisonment and burglary in connection with the incident.

DC Timmins added: "The two men captured on CCTV leaving the building are two other people we want to speak to in connection with the crime and urge anyone who knows who they are to contact us."

Anyone with information should call the Investigation Team at Central Birmingham Police Station by dialling 101.

(MH/CD)