Video captured the moment an alleged gang of thieves were spotted reportedly stealing cables in an underground tunnel.
Armed police surrounded the manhole – just yards from a police station – on Great Charles Queensway in Birmingham city centre at 2pm on Tuesday.
The suspects were dressed in orange high-vis overalls and officers were flagged down by members of the public.
Footage of the arrests shows officers shouting for the gang to ‘come up now’ as they wait around the entrance.
Policemen run towards the manhole with their sniffer dogs and the animals bark down the hole at the ‘workers’.
One of the men is then seen slowly emerging up a single ladder at which point an officer says, ‘sarge, can you get us some light as well’.
A policeman shouts: ‘Police with a dog! Come out now or the dog’s coming in!’
As the alleged thief comes up, another officer says: ‘Good evening, keep coming up the ladder.’
The suspect is then asked to hold up his hands while climbing the ladder, which he does, with difficulty.
Three men were arrested and a van loaded with cables was seized.
Great Charles Queensway is a seven-minute walk away from Birmingham Snow Hill Station.
The area incorporates a modern mixed-use development, a prominent 39-story tower with build-to-rent homes, workspaces, and other amenities.
It is described as a large, distinctive addition to Birmingham’s skyline – blending contemporary design with the city’s historic buildings.
