Our quick response sees man arrested and firearm recovered

At around 12.15pm this afternoon (Saturday 20 July 2024), we were called to an alarm activation at a business property on Quay Street.

It was established that a man had tried to steal items from a Tesco Express in the city centre before making off from the scene. It was reported at the time that the suspect had a weapon on him.

Officers from our Specialist Operation branch descended on the scene, quickly identifying the man in question. As officers arrived, the suspect pointed a firearm at them in an attempt to evade capture.

The suspect, a man in his 30s, was arrested a short time later on suspicion of robbery, firearm offences and wanted on recall to prison, he remains in custody for questioning.

Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said: “The responding officers did a brilliant job, their swift and decisive actions made sure that a potentially dangerous individual was apprehended.

“This is an isolated incident and although the weapon we recovered was an imitation, at the time, the responding officers were not meant to know this, as it looked like a viable firearm up close.

“I am pleased to report that no injuries were sustained to any member of the public or any of our officers.

“Our job is to keep you safe, and this is why we have specialist officers patrolling hotspot areas across the force. Our aim is to build trust and confidence in those who live and work in Greater Manchester, and I feel like our actions today have gone a long way towards doing that.”