Teenager arrested and knuckle duster recovered by Operation Venture in Altrincham yesterday

The Operation Venture team were deployed to Altrincham Town Centre yesterday (Friday 3 November).

The team are deployed in areas across Greater Manchester, and specialise in detecting serious violence and knife crime. Officers work in uniform and also by utilising plain clothes officers.

Officers set up a knife arch at Altrincham interchange to detect offensive weapons to remove from our streets.

Officers witnessed two teenage boys trying to avoid officers and following a stop and search, a knuckle duster was seized and a teenager, aged 15, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

Later in the evening, officers patrolled the Goose Green area and were on hand to give crime prevention advice to those enjoying the night time economy in the area.

Knife arch

Inspector Jon Ezard of Operation Venture said: "Every arrest made by our officers is a fantastic result for the team as it means that we have taken one more weapon off the streets of Greater Manchester. 

"Operation Venture is working hard to reduce violent crime and whilst the team are being proactive in making arrests and patrolling the streets in your community, we also need your help and rely on intelligence provided to us by members of the public.

"If you know someone is carrying a weapon, please report it to us as soon as possible.

“We always take reports of this nature very seriously and will act on every piece of information given. It could help us save lives."

You can make a report by calling 101 or via the LiveChat Function on GMP's website: www.gmp.police.uk.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, they also have an anonymous reporting function for 11-17 year olds via Fearless.org

In an emergency, always dial 999.