140 held in burglary-suspect raids

BURGLARS across Greater Manchester felt the full force of the police during a crackdown which resulted in 140 arrests.

Operation Storm, a force-wide week of action by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) targeted burglars last week.

More than 600 officers carried out 110 raids on properties of suspected burglars over the week to search for stolen property and other evidence linking the occupants to criminal activity.

The week of action was organised under Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Storm initiative that was launched six weeks ago and is geared to driving down burglaries and increasing burglary convictions.

A team of highly-qualified and experienced senior police officers and staff hand-picked to manage Operation Storm will continue to tackle burglary into the New Year.

Though the new high-impact initiative is intelligence and enforcement led, police have also stepped up activity aimed at making residents aware of how they can significantly decrease their chances of falling victim to this distressing crime.

Over the weekend officers were based at the entrances of almost 90 major supermarkets in the region during all opening hours.

They gave shoppers information on how they can provide police with the vital information they need to bring criminals to justice.

Officers also visited hundreds of homes as part of the week of action to give crime reduction advice and literature to householders and encourage them to register their valuables on the free, easy to use Immobilise.com property database.

Det Chief Supt Russ Jackson, heads of the Operation Storm initiative, said: “The results of this week of action shows that Greater Manchester Police is taking the fight against burglary to the offender.

“Residents can be assured that this is only the first of a whole range of enforcement activities that will be brought to bear on burglars in the coming months. Offenders will be left with no place to shelter from the wrath of this Storm.

“People can help us bang up burglars by providing information on crime and criminal activity either to us directly on 0161-872 5050 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800-555 111.”