Akram Ibrar: Man who pretended to be mechanic before stealing car from victim at knifepoint jailed

A man who pretended to be a mechanic before stealing a car from a driver at a knifepoint, has been jailed. Akram Ikbar, approached his victim as they were fixing their car on Wychall Road, in Birmingham, saying he was a mechanic and could help.

However, once the driver had got the car started, Ibrar took a knife from his waistband and threatened them into handing over the car keys. He drove away in the car but investigators tracked him down when he tried using one of his victim's bank cards which had been left in a wallet in the vehicle.

Officers retrieved CCTV footage as the 42-year-old attempted to use the card about two hours later, and Ibrar was arrested after officers recognised him from the footage. When Ibrar, formerly of Whitmore Road, Birmingham, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court, he admitted the robbery which he’d committed on January 15, 2022. On Friday (February 2) he was sentenced to five years and 10 months in jail.

DC Claire Smith from Birmingham's Major Crime Team, said: “Robbery is a priority for us as we understand just how severe an impact being threatened and having your belonging stolen can have. We know it’s a deeply upsetting crime and we are committed to identifying and tracing those who carry out such offences.”