Officers make 5 arrests over the weekend as part of continued crackdown against theft in the city centre

'Hugger Mugger’ is a type of distraction theft that have been seen in Manchester City Centre over the weekend, officers have been giving out crime prevention advice to keep people safe from this type of offence.

 On Sunday 16 July 2023 at around 5am, officers arrested two men both aged 26 were arrested on suspicion of Theft from Person and Possession of Class A Drugs on Bloom Street in Manchester City Centre. They have since been released on bail pending further investigation.

The two men had been previously seen by CCTV operators committing thefts in Manchester City centre on  Friday 14 July 2023 and through a very close working relationship with CCTV operators, images of the two men were circulated to police.

The arrests come after GMP plain clothed officers spotted the men and subsequently arrested them, they were both found in possession of Class A Drugs and a one found with a suspected stolen watch.  

Later that day (16 July 2023) officers from Operation Vulcan identified three men who were acting suspiciously on Bury New Road in Cheetham Hill. The men were seen entering a mobile phone shop on Vega Street where they were stopped by officers as they were attempting to sell three Apple mobile phones alongside two electrical tablets which were all believed to be stolen. 

All three men between the ages of 20 and 35 were arrested on suspicion of theft and one was also arrested on suspicion of possession of Class C drugs. They have all been released pending further enquiry.

Chief Inspector Stephen Wiggins of GMP’s Manchester City Neighbourhood Team, said: “These arrests are a testament to the excellent work conducted by our officers and partner agencies who continue to work hard to keep the streets of Manchester safe.

“We continue to work to keep people safe and I’d like to take this opportunity to warn the public of ‘hugger muggers’ who prey on those who are usually alone or intoxicated as a way of stealing their personal items and valuables.

“With this offence it’s often that street crimes are largely opportunistic and we need the public to be vigilant of their surroundings whilst out and about.

“Those who are texting and making phone calls or those who have headphones in make themselves look distracted to criminals, ensure that when you are walking in public your concentration is on yourself and your surroundings. Please keep your valuables hidden in a bag or in pockets to avoid it being on show.

"Although we have made two arrests, our enquiries into these robberies are very much ongoing and we are trying to locate the owner of a watch that was suspected stolen. If you believe this watch belongs to you, or knows who it might belong to, please contact police by calling the Manchester City Centre Neighbourhood Team on 0161 856 2510. 

Suspected stolen watch that officers hope to reunite with their owner

“It is really important that we hear from people who have information about these thefts, or any other people who may also have had their phone or other valuables taken in similar circumstances to come forward to us.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 750 of 16/07/23 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

By registering their valuables on immobilise.com owners can put details of their possessions on a national database that police can access and compare against items that have been found or recovered from suspected criminals.

The online service is free and is quick and easy to use. Items marked as being registered with Immobilise are less likely to be stolen, and households displaying Immobilise stickers are less likely to be targeted by burglars.