Hansen rocked by second race hate crime

A car belonging to top athlete Ashia Hansen, whose boyfriend was stabbed in a racially motivated assault, has been broken into, police said today.

A spokesman for West Midlands police said it was possible the break-in was connected to the attack on Ms Hansen's boyfriend on Tuesday March 21.

Chris Cotter, 28, was stabbed in the back and face by a gang of five men outside Ms Hansen's home in Erdington, Birmingham.

Ms Hansen also received hate mail related to the attack.

At the time police said it was a racially motivated assault and revealed several days later that three other high-profile black athletes had received hate mail.

In the latest incident involving Ms Hansen - an international triple jumper - her Vauxhall Corsa car was broken into on the driveway of her home some time between 10pm on Friday March 31 and 6am on Saturday April 1

Property, including training equipment, was taken from the car, but most of it was recovered from near the athlete's home by a milkman doing his rounds in the early hours of Saturday morning.

But a distinctive black fleece jacket with the letters DKNY is still missing, police said.

Detectives were anxious to talk to the driver of a black Hackney taxi, which is believed to have dropped off customers in the Arton Croft and Wood End Road areas close to the athlete's house early on Saturday.

Police believe he may have seen something, but stressed he was not wanted in connection with any offence.

Detective Inspector Mike Treble said: "We are very keen to hear from anybody who can help in this matter, particularly the taxi driver.

"We cannot rule out the possibility this matter is connected with other incidents involving Ms Hansen, although it could also be an opportunist theft."