The Channel 5 true crime series Major Crimes Unit returns tonight with an episode centred on a violent attack in which a man is struck twice by a car and robbed as he lies injured. The programme follows West Midlands Police detectives as they investigate the attempted murder, using CCTV footage, phone tracking and police intelligence to trace the suspects.
Tonight's episode airs at 9pm on October 26 and also features a separate Birmingham investigation, where officers question a young man's account of how he suffered injuries to both hands. The series offers access to real-life criminal investigations, with the Wolverhampton case beginning with a brief exchange between a man and the occupants of a black Vauxhall Insignia on an estate.
Attack Details and Investigation
According to the programme's official synopsis, the man walks away before the car turns towards him. The synopsis reads: "Seconds later, the car turns towards him, mounts the pavement and smashes into the back of him. But the driver isn't finished. As the man tries to get to his feet, the car circles back and runs him over again. In a disturbing twist, the passenger approaches the injured man, robs him and flees with the driver."
With the victim requiring surgery and the circumstances pointing to attempted murder, West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit take over. CCTV reveals the brutality of the attack, but those responsible have vanished, leaving detectives to work out where they went and uncover the motive behind such extreme violence. As the investigation develops, officers explore whether the violence could be linked to a wider criminal dispute, with "the clock is ticking to find the suspects and put them behind bars".
Second Birmingham Inquiry
Meanwhile, the Birmingham inquiry centres on a young man who arrives at hospital with wounds to both hands. He says a friend's dog attacked him, but police have doubts about his explanation. The synopsis adds: "CCTV from a shooting the previous night shows a confrontation between three men and two vehicles. Shots are fired, and a figure appears to shoot before shouting, 'I've been shot!' and fleeing. Detectives must determine whether the incident is connected to the young man's injuries."
With rival groups poised to retaliate and the prime suspect refusing to explain what really happened, blood found at the scene may provide the crucial link needed to establish whether the two incidents are connected.
Series Return and Reception
Major Crimes Unit gives viewers access to real investigations from start to finish, with previously unseen footage of detectives working on serious offences. Cases covered by the series include firearms incidents, kidnappings and gang-related violence. The programme launched earlier this year with three weekly episodes before disappearing from the schedules, reports Birmingham Live. It returned last week with a fourth instalment, following a kidnapping investigation in its usual 9pm slot.
Viewers welcomed its return on social media. One wrote: "One to watch." Another commented: "Finally new episodes", while a third said: "Those sentences, what a joke." The series has also drawn praise as among the "best on TV" and a "brilliant watch", with comparisons to 24 Hours in Police Custody. It is not yet clear how long the current run of new episodes will continue. Major Crimes Unit airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.
