A day in the life of a Wythenshawe patrol: shoplifting arrests and engaging with the public

Wythenshawe’s neighbourhood team continue to produce successful results and disrupt all manner of criminal activity in the town with a robust and proactive approach to policing.

No two days are alike for the team, and the officers regularly undertake all manner of jobs and activities to best serve those in the area.

A shift last Thursday (30 January) likewise followed the same theme, as officers patrolled the town centre, in addition to the surrounding areas that members of the public have flagged as having issues.

Some of the work included:

• Proactively visiting locations reported to the local team as being hotspots for anti-social behaviour. This includes liaising with local partners, talking to residents, and building intelligence regarding who visits there and when. On Thursday, officers visited a spot reported as being used as a hang-out spot by drug users, chatting to those in adjoining properties about how they could be assisted.

 

• Dealing with neighbourhood issues. This can include dealing with disputes, mediating between parties, and coming to a just agreement and conclusion.

 

• Checking for hidden illegal items. During the team’s previous patrols, officers have been able to view where suspected offenders gather, and therefore where they may hide items such as weapons, drugs, or other illicit material.

 

• Responding to incidents in the community. While out, officers will be able to make blue-light runs to incidents where necessary, both to support response colleagues and respond to their own crimes accordingly.

 

During the day’s work, and as part of the team’s commitment to protecting businesses and shop workers, a man was detained on suspicion of shoplifting in the town centre. He was additionally arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis and a public order offence.

Shoplifting is a crime treated very seriously by the local team, who regularly arrest shoplifters with a view to a positive outcome. This could include anything ranging from Criminal Behaviour Orders to fines, imprisonment, and more.

Manchester, like every district in GMP, also has its own dedicated shoplifting SPOC, who can share best practice regarding the ways in which to tackle retail crime.

Inspector Bree Lanyon, from GMP’s Manchester district, said: “Our neighbourhood team can encounter any and all kind of crimes during their daily work. But it isn’t just about tackling crime directly – it’s engaging with our communities, letting people know we’re there, and taking that preventative action to ensure criminals are kept at bay.

“We take strong action against the offences that we know can cause the most problems – such as anti-social behaviour. We regularly monitor known hotspots and proactively arrest suspected offenders to stop them from disrupting the harmony of our communities.

“Shoplifters can always expect to be arrested too. While some people think it’s a minor crime or not worthy of attention, shoplifters can damage small businesses, abuse workers, and cause intimidation. We will never tolerate this in our area and will do what we can to get justice.”