Inside a night of vehicle seizures and hotspot patrols with a Manchester Neighbourhood Team

Stolen cars, a stolen bike, and blue-light runs to fights were just some of what GMP’s Manchester North Neighbourhood Team tackled in just one evening of proactive patrolling last week.

The team, led by Inspector Dan Pickavance, regularly conduct high-visibility patrols in the Harpurhey, Crumpsall, Blackley, Charlestown, and Moston areas, monitoring known hotspots and supporting response colleagues where necessary.

Much of the work completed is in direct response to exactly what the community wants – ASB being tackled, off-road bikes being stopped, and officers deterring would-be criminals from operating in the area.

On Thursday (16 January), Insp. Pickavance’s Team 2 began the evening by immediately responding to reports of a fight in Harpurhey – arriving on the scene within two minutes. Thankfully, the call was a false alarm and officers were able to chat to those nearby about their work in the area.

However, the chat didn’t last too long as officers were immediately called to reports of a stolen car, which was subsequently recovered on suspicion of being stolen. While in the area, officers took time to carry out additional bail checks and spoke to local residents about their activity.

Vehicle seizures would soon become the theme of the night, as further additions to the recovery company’s yard were to come.

Ensuring the removal of stolen, illegally driven, and faulty vehicles clamps down on the risk they pose to both pedestrians and legal drivers – as well as themselves.

Officers pursued a car, with the occupants making off from officers and abandoning their vehicle. While officers assessed the car, a motorbike – registered as having been stolen in November – skidded round the corner, with the rider also running away. In addition to the car and the bike, a knife was recovered close to the scene and taken away.

The work tackling illegal driving wasn’t complete however, and a driver who only held a provisional license was stopped by officers, subsequently having his car seized.

Numerous vehicles were stopped during the evening for various reasons – including light checks, proactive stops, and more. The night’s action also saw an e-bike stopped, a fly-tipper warned, and numerous stop-searches across the area.

Inspector Dan Pickavance, from GMP’s Manchester North Neighbourhood Team, said: “Getting out in the community and proactively cracking down on crime is exactly what residents want and that is what we aim to do. Whether it’s chasing stolen cars or seizing illegal bikes, our team is dedicated to ensuring the safety of those in our area.

“Our team is cracking down on crime from all angles – whether through our proactive patrols in the evening or putting doors through in the morning. If anyone in North Manchester has any issues, I would ask you to get in touch with your local policing team. We will listen and take action.”