Burglary arrests and stolen car pursuits: All in a night's work for Gorton's Neighbourhood Team

It was a night of variety for Gorton’s Neighbourhood officers on Wednesday evening as they tackled everything from stolen cars to suspected burglars.

The team regularly proactively patrols Gorton and the surrounding areas, but Wednesday’s work ran in conjunction with a section 60 in place in the Monsall area.

From Gorton to Moston via Openshaw and Failsworth, residents across East Manchester will have seen officers out and doing what they can to ensure the streets of the borough remain a safe place for all.

The section 60 was in response to reports of violence in the area earlier in the week, with officers out in high-visibility patrols to crack down on anti-social behaviour in the area. The order grants officers temporary extended powers to stop and search individuals.

Led by Inspector Dan Pickavance, the teams stopped-searched individuals, monitored areas reported by the public as being crime hotspots, and remained on the lookout for suspicious activity.

To kick things off, a car reported to be on cloned plates was spotted and pursued, with a man in his 20s subsequently detained by PCs Thompson and Pickles, before being arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.

In total, six stop-searches were conducted by the Gorton team in the Monsall area, with the officers' ongoing presence deterring would-be offenders from being out on the streets.

Officers made sure to investigate reports of burglaries they have received from the public during the night – with one man in his 30s arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Inspector Pickavance is determined to crack down on burglaries, and his team have been closely following known-offenders, investigating every report that has come into them, and taking the appropriate action.

The night ended with a further successful pursuit involving officers from the Gorton team, who spotted a car that had been reported as stolen earlier that evening.

After being spotted in Rochdale Road, Collyhurst, the officers pursued the vehicle, before being joined by specialist officers from GMP’s Road Policing Unit.

The car eventually came to a stop in Latrigg Crescent, Middleton, with one teenage boy, aged 16, arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a licence. He was subsequently bailed pending further enquiries.

Inspector Dan Pickavance, from Greater Manchester Police’s Gorton Neighbourhood Team, said: “Ultimately, what people across Greater Manchester want us to do is get out there to stop and prevent crime. That is exactly what we do.

“Our team, working closely with neighbourhood teams from nearby areas, regularly get out on proactive patrols, using information from intel we’ve gathered with the help of boots on the ground and the local community.

“Last night, we went a bit further afield than Gorton, but ensured that all areas were well looked after with a visible policing presence through the evening and into the early hours of Thursday morning.

“I want to send a clear and unequivocal message to those who want to cause problems in Gorton and the wider Manchester area: we will never tolerate you. We will never allow you to disrupt our communities with actions that cause fear and distress to the law-abiding public.

“We will continue to act and will never stop taking anything other than a robust, zero-tolerance approach to those we suspect of criminality.

“We are always hoping to hear from locals and I know that all of GMP’s neighbourhood teams are the same. We regularly run PACT meeting, in which you can talk to your local officers and discuss queries you may have with any issues in your area. Our teams will be more than happy to discuss everything and anything with you. Keep an eye on your local social media pages for the latest updates and dates for these meetings.”

Bee In the Loop is your direct line to your neighbourhood policing team and will keep you in the loop about what is happening on your street and in your local community. Sign up now to receive free text or email alerts – www.beeintheloop.co.uk