Operation Rimini: Seven arrests in latest day of action in Stockport

A high-visibility day of action in Stockport town centre on Thursday 21 September resulted in seven arrests.

A total of 16 stop-searches and three premises visits in partnership with Trading Standards also took place, resulting in £80,000 worth of illegal vapes being seized.

The arrests were made for a number of offences - burglary, theft, possession of a bladed article, assault of an emergency worker and three for breaching court orders.

Officers from the neighbourhood teams, Special Constabulary, the Divisional Tutor Unit and the Neighbourhood Crime Team were deployed to the Peel Centre, Merseyway, St Petersgate and Edgeley as part of Operation Rimini, a dedicated response to tackling reports of various offences in Stockport town centre including theft, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour.

GMP offiers out and about in Merseyway as part of Operation Rimini

Sergeant James Senior, of GMP's Stockport Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was another great day with lots of positive feedback from the community and partners; particularly pleasing was the partnership approach.

“These days of action are all about arresting people and taking a zero-tolerance approach to those who conduct retail crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

“Officers spoke to members of the community and conducted boots-on-the-ground, high-visibility policing, resulting in positive engagements with people and responding to the concerns of the local community.

“Our partnership work with Trading Standards and Stockport Council’s enforcement officers meant we were able to conduct premises visits and take a huge amount of illegal vapes off the streets.

“We were also joined on the day by SMBC rough sleepers team and The Wellspring charity, which engaged with six homeless men and signposted them to support services to assist them.

“By working with partners and having different strands of policing operating together, we can all help to make Stockport a safer place for people to visit and enjoy.”

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