Five arrests made in connection with personal robberies in Bury

Neighbourhood officers in Bury investigating reports of two robberies in recent days have made five arrests.

At around 8.45pm on 28 July, officers received reports that a young male had been kicked and punched in Whitefield Park, before having his mobile phone stolen. He received minor injuries.

At around 7pm on 2 August, officers received a further report that a group of males had chased and assaulted two people in Bury town centre. They had money and vapes taken from them.

Officers utilised several lines of enquiry, reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing those who witnessed the incidents.

Five males, aged 12, 12, 13, 14, and 14 have now been arrested on suspicion of robbery. They remain in custody for questioning.

Inspector Jonathan Lloyd, from GMP’s Bury district, said: “These were highly concerning incidents and we worked quickly to investigate both of them. We are working hard to establish the exact circumstances and continue to review the evidence and information that we have obtained over the last week.

“We would like to reassure the community that we take reports of incidents like these extremely seriously. We take a robust approach to robberies and our priority is to keep the Bury community safe. I hope that these quick arrests demonstrate our commitment to this cause.

“Our enquiries are ongoing but as we progress the investigation, we will be increasing patrols across Bury to provide reassurance. If you have any queries or questions, do approach one of our beat officers or PCSOs – they will be more than happy to help.”

If you have any information relating to either of the robbery incidents, contact officers on 101, quoting log number 3804 of 31/7/23, or 3182 of 02/08/23.

Alternatively, information can be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.