Eight men have been arrested as part of a large-scale investigation into stolen vehicles worth over £2,250,000 in Greater Manchester.
Officers arrested eight men this morning as part of Operation Norma – an operation launched following the theft of over 70 vehicles since October last year.
Officers from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group launched the investigation following a report of a stolen Mercedes from Manchester City Centre on 12 October 2019. Officers located the vehicle and discovered what was believed to be a “chop shop” at Poolstock Lane in Wigan.
Following extensive enquiries, a number of vehicles have been recovered as part of the operation, with some seized in containers due to be shipped abroad.
A number of suspected chop shops were also subsequently raided in Chadderton, Oldham and Bolton where approximately another 45 stolen vehicles or parts linked to stolen vehicles were discovered. Following enquiries, detectives also found what they believed to be parts from stolen cars for sale on the internet.
The investigation continues and a number of cars and parts thought to be stolen are currently being sought or undergoing examination.
The warrants fall under GMP’s Operation Dynamo, a force-wide scheme which aims to crackdown on offenders who are actively stealing cars in burglaries and robberies to be sold on or used to commit violent crimes.
Detective Inspector Roger Smethurst, from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: “These arrests have been the result of long, hard work into a sophisticated large-scale stolen cars operation and they are a huge step in our aim to reduce car thefts across Greater Manchester.
“I would like to reassure the public that GMP remain committed to tackling burglary and targeting those responsible of stealing cars. A lot of the work GMP do to tackle the issue may not be visible but catching those responsible remains a force priority.
“Cars are of both great value and sentimental value to some people and we understand that having a car stolen can have a huge impact both financially and emotionally.
“We constantly monitor the number of burglaries across Greater Manchester and information is continuously gathered and acted upon. Teams from across GMP work together to deter, disrupt and ultimately dismantle organised crime groups on a daily basis.
“Officers from GMP’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) along with other teams use both covert and marked cars, as well as ANPR technology, to catch who we believed to be burglars and robbers in cars thought to be stolen.
“Stolen cars is a national issue and we continuously work with colleagues across the UK to tackle the problem and there are a number of investigations and lines of enquiry on-going.
“We will continue to work to bring offenders to justice, but I would ask that residents help us to help them by following our simple advice – do not leave your car keys on show or where they can easily be reached when at home, always keep your windows and doors locked and for anyone who has a steering lock, I would encourage you to use it.
“There are also other ways to help keep your car safe such as investing in a tracking device.
