Eight suspected burglars in custody thanks to police dog and officers overnight

Two stolen vehicles have been recovered and eight arrests have been made thanks to officers and some 'pawsome' work by PD Eddie last night (30 March 2022).

At around 2.45am this morning, patrolling officers were alerted through ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) to a report of a cloned vehicle in tandem with a BMW in Salford.

Shortly afterwards, officers were called to a report of a burglary where a BMW was taken from an address on Swinton Park Road  - the one believed to be with the Volvo. It's believed the lock was snapped at an address and a BMW and keys were taken.

Officers from the Tactical Vehicle Interception Unit (TVIU) found a Volvo driving at speed on Manchester Old Road which made off. However, officers later found it parked up on on a carpark at the junction with Moston Lane and Kenyon Lane in Moston.

Three males were arrested nearby on suspicion of burglary before being joined by Police Dog Eddie who tracked down two other males. All five were arrested on suspicion of burglary and remain in custody at this time.

Equipment and tools believed to be used in 'lock snapping' burglaries was also found and seized.

Over an hour before, officers chased down a stolen Ford Fiesta, reportedly stolen from an address in Lancashire before driving at speed across the M66 and onto Bury Old Road where it was stopped. With the help of NPAS (National Police Air Service) and officers from GMP, three males were arrested at the scene on suspicion of burglary.

Inspector Paul Bray, from GMP's Specialist Operations unit, said: "These arrests are a result of the quick-thinking of officers and PD Eddie and are a huge step in our efforts to make the streets of Greater Manchester a safer place.

"This is just some of the great work that our officers achieve regularly and is just a snapshot of one night in the region where we're going after those causing the most harm to our communities and arresting suspected burglars.

"We'll continue to work round the clock to catch those committing crime and will always aim to return suspected stolen property to its rightful owners.

"We will continue to work to bring offenders to justice, but I would ask that residents help us to help them by following our simple advice - do not leave your car keys on show or where they can easily be reached when at home, always keep your windows and doors locked and for anyone who has a steering lock, I would encourage you to use it.

"There are also other ways to help keep your car safe such as investing in a tracking device.

"Anyone with information about crime can report it online at www.gmp.police.uk or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Last year, GMP announced it would attend every report of burglary under Operation Castle, pledging to send an officer physically to every incident and ensure that all reasonable lines of enquiry are pursued. For more information on Operation Castle, visit: Operation Castle | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)