Car thief rescued by police after accidentally locking himself inside

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

A thief who had to be rescued by police after accidentally locking himself inside a stolen car has been branded “Britain’s dumbest crook”.

Police officers found the man desperately attempting to escape the vehicle after a passer-by reported seeing someone acting suspiciously inside a car.

They used a baton to smash the window of the Ford and rescued the man in Newtown, Birmingham, on Sunday night.

However, his freedom was short-lived as he was locked up after police discovered the car was stolen and had false number plates.

Tweeting an image of glass covering the front seats of the car, West Midlands Police’s force response unit said: “Absolute scenes last night for Newtown officers.

“Called to a male acting suspicious in a car...arrive to find him LOCKED IN the car with no way out.

“Cheeky baton through window and he was again locked up…this time inside a cell as the car was stolen and on false plates.”

The force said it “wasn’t a violent arrest at all”, adding: “The male in custody was aware we were going to have to release him from the car, and every care was taken to extract him carefully so no glass would cut him, which it didn’t. He was then promptly arrested.”

Social media users poked fun at the bungling thief, including Alfie Jacks who wrote on Twitter: “All hail Britain’s dumbest crook! Shame no one thought to tell him how to unlock the doors from inside.

“Car obviously installed with child and numpty lock technology.”

Twitter user Aaron1984 added: “Definite future candidate for the Darwin Awards. Amazing he’s made it through life this far!”