Burglars caught in storm

Fifty people were arrested last week in Rochdale as part of Operation Storm, a Forcewide initiative to tackle burglary across Greater Manchester.

Officers were out in force across the borough using a range of tactics to tackle burglary and increase public awareness of how they can protect themselves from would-be criminals.

Members of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams executed 14 search warrants for known offenders and took part in high visibility patrols of hot spot areas.

The Operation Tornado team, made of roads policing officers that patrol roads and use Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology to make roadside checks, was also working on hotspots across the Borough. They made one arrest and seized two vehicles, which included one car that had been stolen during a burglary. Two people had their fingerprints checked with the lantern device.

The week of action was organised under Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Storm initiative, which was launched in June. It is geared to driving down burglaries and increasing burglary convictions. Since September burglary has dropped by 67% across the Division, this has resulted in 101 fewer victims of this crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham Stevens for Rochdale Division, said: “To see the arrest of so many key offenders is a great result but to have this supported by such a drop in our burglary figures is a real example of how the hard work that all of our teams have put in, is paying off.

“We would like these results to send a message to would be offenders that we won’t tolerate them taking part in this callous and vicious crime. Our teams are working hard to capture these offenders and see justice served. As a team and as a Force we will be keeping up the work to ensure that we ‘bang up burglars’.”