Posted on 07/01/2007 8:25:46 PM PDT by jdm
Police in Birmingham having been checking thousands of cars across the city following the bomb alert in London.
It is believed the vehicle at the centre of the main alert in the capital could have been registered to an address in the region.
An increased police presence in cities throughout the country saw officers from West Midlands Police take to the streets.
The force had been placed on high alert after the discovery in London of two Mercedes cars containing similar explosive materials.
The first car in question - a Mercedes rumoured to be registered to a Birmingham owner - was discovered by police in London shortly before 2am on Friday in the Haymarket. There they discovered what appeared to be a "potentially viable explosive device", which they made safe.
Later, the second Mercedes was found in an underground car park off Park Lane.
A Metropolitan Police Service spokesman was unable to confirm whether the car had links to the city.
"We won't be disclosing who it is registered to," he said. He said most forces in the country would probably be searching for suspect cars as a result of the London findings.
"It wouldn't surprise me," he said. "The state of alert would have risen so they should be looking."
He also said there was an increased police presence in central London.
"Following the incident in the Haymarket the MPS has reviewed its levels of policing," he said. "At this stage, we are deploying an enhanced level of patrolling in key areas in central London and across the capital.
"This is to provide a visible reassurance and is not in response to any specific threat."
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "In terms of West Midlands Police heightened activity or patrol and visibility, that is nothing that wouldn't be happening in all of the cities around the country and what is happening in London."
Broad Street manager Mike Olley said security officers and staff working in the city's entertainment district were keeping vigilant.
"We have a system already in place," he said. "We have been on the look-out for suspicious vehicles and this is another reason to keep your eyes open.
"Today we should be a little bit alert but Broad Street is so well covered with CCTV coming out of our ears."
Jenny Inglis, Birmingham's city centre director added that Birmingham was often put on alert following large scale events of a similar nature in the capital.
"What normally happens in these circumstances is anything happening in London will evoke a response in other cities," she said.
"Where there is major security around in another city, you would expect an increased number of police in Birmingham.
"It is as much about public reassurance than anything else."
Osama and friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/manufacturers.cfm/country/gcf/manufacturer/mercedes
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