FOLLOWING an increase in crime in Hagley fresh calls are being made for an urgent crime summit.

The move comes from Hagley councillor Steve Colella who says residents need some assurance so that "crime doesn't just become a way of life".

The cllr, who pushed for a meeting with West Mercia police chiefs, the Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion, and Bromsgrove MP and Home Secretary Sajid Javid before Christmas, claimed there are now more burglaries and deception frauds taking place than ever before with numerous victims left devastated.

Cllr Colella, Bromsgrove District Councillor for Hagley West, said: "We're hearing of crimes that have taken place in Hagley which have been both severe and callous to say the least.

"On two occasions, victims have lost £5,000 and £8,000 respectively which has made a real impact on their lives.

"On other occasions, we've had thieves breaking into houses and stealing keys to high performance vehicles, while the victims were asleep in the house.

"We had one such crime only last Monday where the vehicle concerned ended up in Liverpool."

He added: "The crime situation has got so bad, that some residents in Hagley are now exploring the possibility of hiring private security firms.

"It would be nice to get some reassurance from the police. People can reel off statistics, but they don't tell the real story of what is happening and the severity of the crime which is taking place.

"The people who are committing these offences have no regard for the people it affects and are quite happy to go into people's property in the belief they won't get caught.

"They've no morals at all. It's severe crime done with malice and intent.

"There's one scam going around at the moment where criminals ring up their victims pretending to be from the fraud squad and trick people into parting with large sums of money.

"They particularly prey on elderly people, who are taken in and in one case, it left the victim in a real state of stress and trauma."