Two arrested after suspected ‘chop shops’ are uncovered in Bolton

Officers from our Bolton Neighbourhood Crime Team have conducted simultaneous warrants at two addresses in Bolton this morning (10 July 2024). One man – aged 41 – has been arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. A woman – aged 43 – has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They remain in custody for questioning.

The warrants took place at Westfield Avenue and Hillfield Drive where officers seized an estimated £100k of vehicle parts, mostly consisting of Fiat 500 and Abarth models. Also seized was a selection of car keys, VRM equipment and a variety of equipment used for stealing and concealing the true identify of a vehicle.

PC Samuel Burgess from our Bolton Neighbourhood Crime Team said: “The warrants executed today have led to the recovery of numerous vehicle parts and are just one example of the proactive and positive work we do to keep criminal activity off our streets.

“Although our work will continue to tackle this, I would encourage anyone who may have information or suspect that someone in their area is involved with vehicle theft to get in touch with police. Intelligence we receive from the public is always beneficial to our investigations.”

GMP is encouraging owners to take a few minutes to review these tips for more information on how to keep your vehicle safe: Keeping vehicles safe | Crime prevention | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)

Anyone with information regarding vehicle thefts or anyone who believe suspicious activity to be taking place are encouraged to call 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, to remain anonymous you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.