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A crackdown on vehicle crime across Greater Manchester resulted in 31 arrests and 28 stop searches in the last month alone.
Alongside the arrests, officers from Greater Manchester Police have located and seized over half a million pounds worth of suspected stolen vehicles, this includes burglaries in Rochdale, after a successful warrant executed by officers a £80,000 Land Rover and a £40,000 VW Tiguan were both seized and suspected to have been stolen in a burglary in Rochdale. £5000 in cash along with other high value property such as watches and vintage whiskey were also seized.
Equipment used for keyless car entry was also seized from the property, this severely disrupts organised criminal networks, by removing the tools of their trade they are unable to operate.
Earlier this month (18 October), officers from our neighbourhood crime team alongside specialist vehicle examination teams executed a warrant on Bromley Street, Manchester, in relation to a reported ‘chop shop’. Officers were able to detained three men – aged 27, 32, and 59 - on suspicion of handling stolen goods -Officers raid suspected 'chop shop' in Manchester with three arrests made | Greater Manchester Police
Arrests made after chop shop raid earlier this month
Officers are not only causing disruption to organised groups, they are pushing to get them taken off our streets as last week, seven men were jailed for a total of 25 years for their involvement in one of the most organised criminal networks we have ever seen after 100 vehicles were stolen at an estimated value of £3 million - ‘Five-o busted the yard again’ - major chop shop operation sees men sentenced to 25 years in prison | Greater Manchester Police
Superintendent Danny O’Neil, force lead for vehicle crime, said: “We are continuing to put the brakes on vehicle crime. Criminals are definitely feeling the impact of our work and by taking action and arresting suspects, we are tackling the issue at its root. The great work by officers across the force have shown a 20% reduction in instances of vehicle crime across Greater Manchester this year to date.
“We want to highlight the work that happens on a daily basis to tackle vehicle offences, a lot of the work is conducted behind the scenes a
“This is work that may not be visible to the public, but I want to reassure you that we have dedicated neighbourhood crime teams working across all of our districts in Greater Manchester. They are dedicated to investigating vehicle crime and reducing instances of it in your area.
“As a force, we have a number of specialist teams who also support our fight against vehicle crime across the force, such as our Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit. Officers in this unit assist us daily in ensuring suspected stolen cars recovered, this team act on intelligence to make arrests and disrupt criminals. Our Serious Organised Crime Group also assist with large scale investigations, often linking serious incidents and targeting the most prolific offenders who operate force wide, helping us to secure robust convictions.
Tactical Vehicle Interept Unit fleet
“Our neighbourhood teams will continue this momentum through conducting a mix of covert and high visibility patrols in hotspot areas and patrol plans are in place to successfully recover stolen vehicles and stop offenders in their tracks.
“We are placed where you need us most in your community to prevent, tackle and solve crime and there are steps that drivers can take to protect their vehicles and make it harder for opportunistic thieves to operate.
How to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of vehicle theft?
Double check that your car is locked when leaving it, don’t just rely on the fob as signals can be blocked, preventing vehicles locking, check the handles before you leave.
Invest in a faraday bag – they are lined with metal material and help block the key’s signal.
Don’t leave any valuables on display in your car, even loose change can attract attention and make your car more of a target to criminals.
Invest in a tracking device, this won’t stop the vehicle being stolen, but it can significantly increase the chances of police locating and returning a vehicle to the rightful owner.
Fitting a steering wheel lock can reduce opportunities for theft. They are a visual deterrent and can slow an offender down.
As always, stay vigilant and if you notice anything unusual or suspicious please report it to the police via the LiveChat facility on gmp.police.uk or call 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.