Appeal to catch gully lid thieves

At least 75 gully lids have been stolen in Heywood and Middleton.

It is thought that the lids were stolen last Thursday and Friday nights by thieves posing as council workers.

Police and Rochdale Council are now appealing for help to catch the thieves.

Inspector Umer Khan of the Rochdale North Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We think it’s likely that these thieves tried to make themselves look like council workers with high visibility vests and a work van. If anyone has seen anything suspicious we would ask that they give us a call.”

In order to replace the lids, funds will have to be drawn from the existing council budget for highway maintenance, used for street repairs including repairing potholes.

David Nicholson, Highways and Engineering Director for Rochdale Borough Council’s Impact Partnership, said: “We are moving quickly to make the areas safe and residents who spot a missing gully lid should report this to the council.

“Missing covers are usually replaced with plastic or ductile versions that are virtually worthless as scrap, but in some circumstances we might need to upgrade this to a metal lid or make substantial modifications to the frame to make it safe.”

Police are making scrap merchants aware of the recent thefts and advising them not to buy the grids.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To report a missing gully lid call 0845 121 2979.

Gully lids were stolen from the following locations:

Heywood – Thursday night: 

• Sycamore Avenue
• Siddall Street
• Russell Street
• Claybank Street 

Middleton – Thursday night: 

• Baker Street
• Boardman Lane
• Springfield Road
• Wellens Way
• Norman Street
• Dixon Street
• Winwood Drive
• Boarshaw Road
• Amy Street
• Cheapside 
• Grove Road
• Cleworth Road
• Thornley Street
• Foxhall Street
• Penrose Gardens 

Middleton – Friday night: 

• Latrigg Crescent
• Malta Close
• Tonge Roughs
• Green Street
• Dixon Street
• Clarke Brow
• Yates Street
• Walker Street