Trio jailed for knifepoint robberies in Birmingham

Ilyas Ibrahim and Husen Mohamed, both aged 19, and 18-year-old Farah Musa targeted their victims late at night in Erdington between March 12 and 13 this year.

They threatened their victims with a knife before stealing a phone, bank card and clothes.

In the early hours of March 12, two men were approached by Ibrahim as they walked along Mere Road. They were threatened with a knife as they were searched and had a mobile phone and clothing stolen from them.

The following day at around the same time, Ibrahim, Mohamed and Musa were again walking along Mere Road looking for their next victim. They stopped a man to ask if he had a cigarette.

They searched him, stole his bank card and threatened to stab him if he didn't tell him his PIN number. They repeatedly kicked and punched him, before they eventually ran off.

Minutes later, officers flooded the area and following an area search, all three were arrested in nearby Slade Road on suspicion of robbery and fraud. The group had been trying to use the bank card they had stolen.

Subsequently, a search was carried out at Ibrahim's home where clothing belonging to the victim from the previous night and a knife were recovered.

All three pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court and on Monday Ibrahim, of Patterdale Road, Erdington, was jailed for four years for two robberies and fraud.

Mohamed, of Alleyene Grove, in Erdington, was jailed for four and a half years for robbery and fraud, while Musa of Station Road, in Erdington, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for robbery and fraud.

Detective Sergeant Tom Lyons said: "Both of these attacks were despicable, with the group arming themselves with a knife to intimidate and threaten their victims.

“Officers were in the right place at the right time and managed to get all three in custody very quickly. Hopefully these sentences act as a deterrent to those willing to carry knives and commit offences."