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Readers praise regional daily’s investigation into ‘gang wars’

A regional daily has been praised by readers affected by ‘gang wars’ after running a special investigation on the issue.

The Birmingham Mail ran an exclusive report on the turf wars taking place in the south of England’s second city, where four major gang-related incidents happened over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend.

Mail investigations editor Jeanette Oldham named for the first time a group called the Frankley Killers, as well as the 61 and 247365 gangs, as being responsible – and found the trio have been using YouTube to make coded threats to each other through grime music videos in which their members appear.

The Mail splashed on its findings on Wednesday, after reporting on incidents including shootings in the preceding days.

Birmingham gangs

Editor Marc Reeves told HTFP: “Violent crime has been growing across south Birmingham for the past year. We’ve had shootings, stabbings and car jackings, with many worryingly linked to children as young as 11.

“The Bank Holiday was particularly eventful, with four major incidents. Our investigations editor Jeanette Oldham has been following all of this very closely, and on Tuesday was able to publish her expose of the real extent of the problem, naming the three gangs and for the first time laying out the true extent of the problem.

“It was truly explosive stuff, all the more so because videos made by the gangs themselves laid bare the gruesome reality to our readers.

“Since lifting the lid on this, we have had a massive response from south Birmingham residents relieved at last that someone has shone a light on their plight.”