More than 1,000 emergency hammers have been stolen from Travel West Midlands buses by gangs of youths in the last year, it was revealed today.

Yobs travelling on buses across the region are smashing glass panels to grab the hammers, worth £20 each, as trophies or to use in other crimes.

By law, all buses must carry an emergency hammer in case of a collision so passengers can break windows to escape.

Phil Bateman, corporate affairs director for Travel West Midlands and a Wolverhampton councillor, said the firm was working closely with police to try and stamp out the problem.

“In the last 12 months at least 1,000 hammers have been stolen from our buses,” he said.

“It’s almost uniquely a Birmingham problem, although there have been some taken from Black Country buses.

“We are working closely with West Midlands Police to try and reduce this type of theft and come up with a way of identifying the stolen hammers more easily.”

He added that buses were unable to travel unless they had a hammer on board to be used in the event of a collision.