'Delighted' driving instructor thanks vehicle interceptors for re-uniting him with learner sign

A driving instructor from Manchester has described how he and his family were 'over the moon' after our officers were able to re-unite him with his 'learner' sign that had been stolen from his car leaving him unable to trade all week.

Muhammad Sohail's sign is believed to have been stolen from his vehicle in Levenshulme and was spotted by our vehicle interceptors yesterday (Wednesday 12 January) morning on a car suspected of being stolen just hours earlier from Ardwick.

After giving chase to the vehicle in the Gorton area, our Tactical Vehicle Intercept officers found the car had hit a lamp post with no offenders left inside it.

Numerous items - such as meat, cakes and laundry liquid - were recovered from the car that officers believe had been shoplifted from various supermarkets.

Also on the vehicle was the sign for Muhammad's driving school, and he was overjoyed when we called him to tell him we'd be able to return it.

"Thank you so so much", he told officers. "These little actions bring a huge smile on someone's face - my kids are so happy and proud of the police.

"I'm a sole trader and wasn't going to report the theft as I didn't think the police would take action, and I've not been able to run my business in the last four days since it was stolen.

"These items can be very expensive and when I showed my kids it had been returned we were over the moon and they thought the police were great."

Our enquiries into the stolen car are still ongoing and no arrests have yet been made.

Our Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit patrol in unmarked cars day and night working to target vehicles suspected of being involved of a broad range of crime - particularly thefts, burglaries, and robberies.

Across the Greater Manchester area they act on intelligence and reports from the public to continue to try and drive down vehicle-related crime in the region - under the codename Operation Dynamo.

If you have any information or suspicions about vehicles in your area, then report it to us online, if able, or via 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Details can be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.