AN investigation has been launched into the death of a man at Oldbury’s custody suite yesterday morning (Thursday, September 21).

The man, who was in his 30s, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and taken to the Bromford Road suite.

But at a routine cell check at 2am on Thursday he was found to be unresponsive. West Midlands Police claim that medical assistance was provided, but the man was pronounced dead by a doctor at the scene shortly afterwards.

Following the incident, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was notified of the man’s death and declared the start of an investigation.

IPCC investigators went to the scene and have taken initial accounts from the police officers and staff who were present at the time of the man’s death, while CCTV footage from the custody unit is also being obtained.

Derrick Campbell, IPCC commissioner, said: “Our sympathies are with the man’s family and anyone else affected by his death.

“Our inquiries are obviously at a very early stage and we will carry out a thorough investigation of all the circumstances.”

An IPCC spokesman said efforts are being made to contact the man’s family to inform them of his death.

They also confirmed that the coroner has also been contacted and a post mortem is due to take place today (Friday, September 22).

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a 38-year-old man sadly died in police custody after being found collapsed in his cell.

“The man, from Walsall, had been arrested just after 1pm on Wednesday in Wolverhampton city centre on suspicion of shoplifting and drugs possession.

“As is routine in such cases, West Midlands Police has voluntarily referred the death to the IPCC.”