The Burger Bar Boys: 6. Breaking Bad

Gangster

08-12-2023 • 33 mins

Despite the landmark trial of 2004-05 leading to several convictions for the murder of Charlene and Letisha - the gang murders in the city continued. What more could be done to tackle the violence?

In the final episode in the series, we look at how a combination of one man’s brilliant gang mediation and West Midlands police’s Operation Ventara slowly started to turn the tide and begin the process of restoring peace to the city of Birmingham. At the same time as the police were making inroads into dismantling the Burger Bar Boys’ operation in the city, the gang’s ambitions had begun to stretch to neighbouring cities – even as far as Aberdeen. The absence of crack cocaine and lack of rivals in other cities made spreading their net wider an easy task, but law enforcement continued to fight back.

We’ll hear from an undercover police officer who was sent into Northampton to join the city’s Burger Bar Boys offshoot there, and how developments in ballistics allowed police to trace the movement of guns like the MAC-10 as they were passed around the country from one gang member to another.

We conclude the series by looking at where things stand now in the city. What became of the convicted gang members, and how the Burger Bar Boys name still echoes around the streets of Handsworth to this day. We will hear how the families who lost loved ones feel as they reflect on the events of the last few decades, and how back in the Burgers’ home territory of Handsworth, there is at last some optimism.

New episodes are released on Fridays. If you’re in the UK, listen to Gangster: The Burger Bar Boys first on BBC Sounds. bbc.in/40W5Chz

Presenter – Livvy Haydock Series Producer – Hayley Mortimer Technical Producer – Nicky Edwards Producer – Patrick Kiteley Researcher – Megan Jones Archive Researcher – Nicola Han Fixer in Jamaica – Nick Davies Journalism Assistant – Tim Fernley Commissioning Executive – Louise Kattenhorn Assistant Commissioners – Lorraine Okuefuna and Natasha Johansson Editor and Executive Producer – Carl Johnston

You Might Like

RedHanded
RedHanded
Wondery | RedHanded
Morbid
Morbid
Morbid Network | Wondery
Casefile True Crime
Casefile True Crime
Casefile Presents
Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
audiochuck
UK True Crime Podcast
UK True Crime Podcast
UK True Crime Podcast
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
NBC News
Bedtime Stories
Bedtime Stories
Ballen Studios
48 Hours
48 Hours
CBS News
RUN, FOOL!
RUN, FOOL!
Ballen Studios
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right Media – the original true crime comedy network
True Crime with Kendall Rae
True Crime with Kendall Rae
Mile Higher Media & Audioboom Studios
Murder, Mystery & Makeup
Murder, Mystery & Makeup
Audioboom Studios
Killer Psyche
Killer Psyche
Wondery | Treefort Media